Ways of life
by Five seas
Summary: It seemed over to him-both the tournament and their relationship. But she had her reasons to leave. Will the little girl he meets some years later change things? ElliexRyo
1. The aftermath

**The shaman tournament's over for some people. But that doesn't mean that some other things are over as well. He thought that she didn't love him. She had greater reasons to leave. Will their child change some things?**

**Disclamer: I do not own Shaman King or whatever.

* * *

**

The aftermath 

Ryo sighed as he was picking his things up. He would feel sad leaving Patch village, he knew it. All the people he met here, in America, he would miss them. Some more than others. But was this the most important?

He growled and rubbed his temples. It was about enough now-they had lost a fight, they had to live through it. He had to go back to Japan and go on with his life. Nobody blamed him-both Yoh and Faust were in a bad shape. It was nobody's fault. And still…he felt really bad for something.

He had waken up gasping for air-he had a terrible nightmare. He was all alone in a huge space, filled with dust and ashes. There was no sun, no light, no warmth. His friends were gone, his loved ones-snatched away from him. Waking up only made him more uncomfortable-he was in his room, of course, and nothing had changed during the night…except for the fact that she wasn't there.

He tried looking for her. He ran through the whole village in the early morning, trying to find her. He dropped by her lodgings, but they were empty-the entire team had gone away. Ryo sighed again. So she had left him.

Ellie…his Ellie. She was there when they lost. She came to him and did her best to comfort him. He could see her now, with her green dress and black shoes, her gentle, warm eyes and small, cute smile. She was his friend, his light, his comfort…and now she was gone. But why?

Well, he didn't tell his friends anything. Not about her, not about what they had together. They wouldn't understand. They would probably give him a lecture about dating enemies or would just laugh out. They didn't even have an idea how serious it was.

Maybe she had to do something urgently. Maybe she didn't tell her friends and they made her go. In that case, she would probably call him…right?

* * *

"Boy, it's late." Millie yawned "Why did we have to leave so early in the morning, I couldn't get any rest all day."

"Stop complaining, Millie!" Sharona said "We're lucky we left before all the traffic jams began."

"What traffic jams, we've been travelling through the desert all week!"

"We are in a city now, aren't we? We're lucky I'm such an early riser!"

Ellie listened to them with something between pure boredom and irritation. Couldn't Sharona and Millie get along just a little. She didn't feel so good-she was dizzy and she was feeling sick. Maybe she shouldn't have eaten so much for dinner. What was with her anyway-she normally didn't feel that hungry. Maybe it was something to do with the climate…or with the sudden break-up.

"OH!" she moaned out and grabbed her stomach. Realizing what was coming up next, she bolted from her seat and rushed into the bathroom, without even bothering to close the door behind her. The rest of the gang got up from wherever they were sitting in their room and looked inside. Sharona sighed and kneeled down next to her friend to hold her head as she was vomiting in the toilet. Nobody said a word, until Ellie finally cached her breath.

"Oh my God…" she managed out "That was harsh."

"Are you OK, onee-chan?" asked Millie with concern in her voice.

"Clearly she's not." Said Lilly "Maybe you're getting sick, Ellie. Shouldn't we get you to a doctor or something?"

"Well I…" Ellie gulped. Now this wasn't good. All week she felt a little strange, and some things were just…burned into a human's memory. Maybe she knew all the time what was happening, but now she REALIZED it.

"I don't think it's the doctor we're supposed to look for." said Sally slowly, looking at Ellie "Well?"

"What?" she asked

"How long?" explained Sally, who was obviously smarter than she looked "How long have you been…like this."

Ellie rubbed her mouth with the back of her hand and got up. She sat down on her bed and put on a sweater.

"A little more than a week." She answered finally, looking through the window.

She waited. She expected Sharona to burst out or Lilly to make some sarcastic comment. But nothing like that happened. Even Millie understood what was going on. The young girl went up to her older sister and hugged her carefully.

"Does that mean that I'm going to be an auntie?" she asked at last. Ellie laughed out and stroked her hair.

"Yes…I guess that's right."

"Is that all you can say?!" asked Sharona "Do you realize how serious this is?"

"Of course I do!" Ellie screamed out

"Well, you can't just say things so carelessly! There's lots to do!"

"Like what?"

"Like informing the father, Ellie! Who is he? And don't try to lie to me, things like that do not happen on their own!"

Ellie was quiet. She was just holding her stomach carefully and was looking in some point in the distance. At last, she sighed and said.

"Ryo."

Dumb silence fell upon the room. Then Sharona's shriek echoed throughout the hotel.

"WHAT?!" the French woman tried to regain her composure, but it was no use. "How? When?" since no answer followed she went on "Well….you have to do something, Ellie. How will you manage it? A baby is a really big responsibility!"

"If I managed to raise Millie I'll manage it." Ellie answered "I have no doubts."

"Then you're not going to abort? Or give it for adoption?"

"How can you even say that?!" Ellie screamed out "This is a child, it's cruel to separate it from its mother."

"Isn't it cruel to separate it from its father too? Ellie, when it grows up it'll ask questions. You can't say you got pregnant from the thin air! It'll want to know. And when it does, he or she will look for him. Ryo has to know. He has to take responsibility."

"It was my fault!"

"It's both of yours fault. So what! You can't turn back time but you can make the future better. Why do you insist that he doesn't know?"

Ellie sighed again and looked up to her leader with a firm gaze.

"He's got his whole life in front of him. He has to live it. A child will only make things harder for him. Ryo's a free spirit. He's not cut out to be a husband or a father. We'll just fight. It would've ended after some time anyway. Even if he changes for out child's sake, there are plenty of things that stop me. You know it." Ellie looked at Millie and stroked her hair "We all know it. There are things and people who will just make matters worse for all of us. If he got involved in my problems, he would just suffer some more."

"Wouldn't your child suffer as much?" asked Sharona "Look at you. The two of you will suffer by any way you look at it. Ellie, how can you say you're going to protect Ryo if you're exposing your own flesh and blood to a greater threat. Please, reconsider."

"There is nothing to reconsider. He's already forgotten about me by now. I won't be anything but a nuisance."

"You say he's got his entire life in front of him…" Sharona sighed "But what about you? Isn't your life in front of you too?"

"My life was over a long time ago." Said Ellie "Long before the tournament began, long before I met him. I have no right to claim that I have a life."

"How can you say that?" Lilly shook her head. "How can you even say that?"

"Don't worry." Ellie smiled "Now I have something to live for. I have to get a life so this little creature can live as well." Her face was radiant "I'm really happy."

"I see that." Sharona sighed "Oh, well. Let's get on with it, shall we?"

"With what?" asked the soon-to-be mommy

"You are not going to become a mother that easily. We need to find ourselves some jobs, so we can raise money and find an apartment. We'll hide easily if we hurry. And we definitely have to prepare a room for the newest addition to our group, ladies. And clothes. And fluffy toys that he or she wouldn't swallow."

"Sharona…You mean that you will actually stay with me?"

"Of course!" Millie exclaimed "You are my older sister. I'm going to be an auntie. We have to support each other."

"Did you think we would leave you all alone? Ha! You wouldn't last a day! Now, let's not waste time. Lilly, make some tea. Sally, you look up the places we can hide. We need to leave America….and all that is with it!"

* * *

_4 months later…_

"Ryo…" Yoh peeked into his friend's room "We're going out, wanna come?"

"No thank you, master Yoh." Ryo said as he was looking at something he was writing.

"What'cha doing?" asked Yoh and looked over his shoulder "Reference? Are you leaving us?"

"No….I just wanted to get a job." Smiled Ryo "I've been thinking about it for some time, and I really need something to get my mind off some….things."

Yoh smiled.

"That's good. I don't like to see you in a gloomy mood. You've been down for the last months, Ryo. Are you sure you're not sick?"

"If I were sick I would've healed by now."

"Rejected again?" asked Yoh "Boy Ryo, you have no luck with girls."

"Yeah…that's sort of it…" sighed Ryo and looked out the window, thinking _"Ellie, wherever you are…I hope you know that I love you."

* * *

_

"Ellie, how are you?" asked Sally, leaving the grocery bags in the kitchen. Her friend looked up from the magazine she was reading and smiled

"Great. The little thing's a little restless, but that's a good sign I thing."

"I'm starting to think that when it gets born, it'll just jump and start running around."

"A free spirit." Ellie smiled. Over the months her face had become rounder and her features had gotten softer. Her hair had started to curl, so she was letting it loose and she was dressing with longer dresses and more comfortable shoes. But most importantly, everything was going all right. The baby was developing really great and the doctors were saying everything was going according to plan.

The soon-to-be mommy was really happy-the serene smile never left her face. The rest of the gang were working hard, trying to make things as easy for her as they could. But Ellie seemed to know perfectly what was happening and was taking things seriously. She was ready for anything. The girls often sat down and thought about what was coming and were making plans. Ellie loved those times. The only part she hated was when Sharona was wondering (by way of a joke, that is) if the baby was going to be born with a pompadour on his head or not.

* * *

_5 months later…. _

Ryo was working in the restaurant, but couldn't bring himself to stay calm. For some damn reason he was feeling really insecure. Maybe even afraid. But why? Everything was all right…Wasn't it?

In the hospital in Madrid things were heated up. Ellie was too much in pain to rail at the doctors in Spanish, otherwise they'd all get really scared.

"OH MY GOD, WHY IS THIS HAPPENING?!" Millie screamed out at the waiting room, upon hearing her sister's moans and screams. "She's agonising! WHY DON'T THOSE IDIOTS DO SOMETHING!"

"Millie, calm down. These things always take time. The doctors can't do anything to prevent her from being in pain." Said Lilly, although she was biting her nails off. Only one of them could accompany Ellie in the midwifery and that was Sally, seeing that she was the calmest of the four.

"Sure they can. They can give her morphine. Or cut her stomach open and take the baby out!" Millie waved her hands. "My niece isn't enjoying it either, you know! She wants to get out as fast as she could!"

"It'll all come out safely, you'll see." Said Sharona and took a deep breath. "I just wish there was a man here so we can beat the hell out of him."

Inside, Ellie was gasping for air, but was holding her screams. It wasn't the moment to be hysterical. It was enough she was calling the doctor an incompetent jerk. Sally wiped the sweat away from her face. The doctor said something, but Ellie was too dizzy to understand.

"That's good, Ellie. Keep in going. It's almost over." Said Sally.

"Would you believe I don't want it to end?" joked Ellie breathlessly

"How is it?"

"I've never felt like this in my life. I can't describe it."

"Well…go on. It's almost out. Come on, your daughter wants to get a breath of air."

Ellie concentrated on the pushes. After a little while she screamed and her voice mixed with the one of a new born girl.

"There we go." Said Sally and taped her friend's shoulder "Congrads, Ellie, it's a healthy girl."

Ellie's stare was really tense, but then she fixed her daughter and her face became radiant.

"That's it." She smiled, and then fainted.

* * *

Ryo looked up. Somehow he felt extremely happy. A smile crept across his lips and he stayed upright, trying to make out what was happening.

The baby was lying in her hands. Ellie was examining it curiously and sighed-it was the most perfect creature in this world. The rest of the gang were sitting around her and were agreeing that she was perfect.

"So…" Millie said "That's her, isn't it?"

"Indeed." Smiled Lilly "She's perfect. Though we'll have to explain to her from the beginning some things."

"Like?"

"Mostly about the way children come into this world." Said Lilly "It's going to be for the best, and it'll make her understand quickly."

"That's true." Ellie nodded and sighed. It would've been great if he was there with her…but no, it was for the best.

"So, there's one last thing we have to do." Said Sharona "You'll have to pick her a name, Ellie."

"I already have." Smiled the young woman "Her name is going to be Aiko. Child of love."

* * *

A/N-So...how do you find my little story? Do give me some comments so I'd know if you like it. If you don't I just won't submit new chapters. Though I enjoyed writing it. I hope you liked reading it as well. 


	2. One mommy and four aunties

**I'm back. Here's the sequel to my little story of little Aiko. Let's see what's going to happen to the little peanut next...

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**

One mommy and four aunties…or vice versa 

The first years of young Aiko's life went surprisingly smooth. She said her first words and made her first steps just like any other child in the world. That was something, considering her surroundings weren't what you'd call ordinary. Living with one mommy and four aunties sure is a hard job…but the girl managed it really nicely.

Her education was, as well, not the ordinary one. Like Lilly promised, as soon as Aiko began to understand things like that the clouds aren't made of cotton candy, the girls carefully and patiently explained her that babies, no matter what she's heard from her friends, are not born from cabbages or brought home by the stork. (During those explanations Lilly and Millie didn't stop giggling as if they suddenly discovered something funny.) Aiko took everything rather calmly and they were free to move on with thigs.

Along with those explanations came different lessons in how to act, how to think and how to talk. Soon enough, the Lillys got used to discuss serious matters in front of Aiko without bothering that she might not understand.

Ellie took her out as much as she could so that Aiko might get enough fresh air and exercise. The young woman too started to do gymnastics again (she used to be good at it) and after a while found herself a job as a choreographer in a big theatre in Madrid. Millie, being good at ballet, found herself a job in the trope and so Aiko spend a lot of time in the dancing room of the theatre.

And so, out little Aiko had her first 4 years of her life like any other child's. There were some side effects, of course. Since her four aunties spoke different languages when they were cross about something, and they were living in Spain, she had the habit of speaking in a mixture of Spanish, English and Japanese when she wasn't careful. And of course, the spirits were a thing. She started seeing them quickly and gave her teachers in the kindergarten some shocks, speaking about invisible people all the time.

The first time it happened Aiko didn't understand why the other children and the teacher couldn't see what she saw. She became hysterical and they called Ellie. She had to make up some excuse and later explained little Aiko, who was crying herself out, that she wasn't going crazy. The girls explained their little niece that seeing ghosts wasn't a bad thing, but that she'd better keep it a secret because other people might think it wrong.

Aiko was really bright and soon enough learned what she should keep to herself. About some things though, it wasn't so easy. Just like expected she asked questions about her father (because if you need a man and a woman to make a baby why didn't she have a daddy?) The girls all decided to keep his name a secret and just told her that he had to go for his own sake and Ellie's sake. That, Aiko couldn't understand. As a result, her teddy bear was named "Hormonized bastard", as that was the nicest nickname her aunties gave her father…not that her mommy liked it.

So things were going smoothly. Aiko was just like any other child (but by her teacher's opinion with an overactive imagination) and things were as normal as they could possibly be.

* * *

It was a warm summer night and Ellie had just put her in bed. After telling her a bedtime story (Terry Pratchett style), she went to the kitchen. Halfway to the door, Aiko called her out.

"Okaa-san." She said and Ellie turned back with a smile

"Yes, Ai-chan?"

"Today, Carmen asked me if I've seen my granny lately." Ellie's expression stiffened. Kids could be cruel sometimes.

"And what did you say to her?"

"What auntie Sharona thought me to say. That she's gone to the Holy Virgin in the sky."

"I see. And what did Carmen say?"

"She cried. She said that it was horrible to have a dead granny. I didn't tell her that I could see her as much as I could if I wanted like you said I shouldn't."

"That was the right thing to do."

"I even cried."

"Why, Ai-chan?"

"Because the way Carmen said it, having a granny is a really wonderful thing and that I should really miss it."

"Ai-chan…" Ellie stroked her daughter's hair "Sometimes it's best not to be sorry about some things."

"Why? Is having a granny a bad thing, mommy?"

"For some people-no. A granny is a mommy's mother or a daddy's mom. Sometime people don't get along with their parents and…"

"So you didn't get along with your mommy?" asked Aiko "Is that why you pretend she's dead?"

"In a way, she is dead, Ai-chan. Parents who don't love their children are better off…gone." Said Ellie bitterly.

Aiko looked at her mother, then burst in tears. She rested her head in her mommy's lap and shed tears.

"Ai-chan, don't cry!" stroked her head Ellie "It's not bad. It's not bad at all."

"I..I…can't believe that a mommy might hate her child." Cried Aiko "Mommy, I promise that I'll never make you hate me!"

"Ai-chan…." Sniffed Ellie and wiped her tears away "A child can never make their mommy hate it…but sometimes people are born without feelings. You have to understand that."

"I do understand that. People who are cruel with children can't have feelings." Sniffed Aiko "Mommy, did my daddy have feelings."

Ellie laughed through her tears and smiled:

"He did…he truly did, Aiko."

It was true. Ellie sat down in the dark kitchen and looked down at the town. The lights of the downtown made everything look like a metropolis from the future. She liked that view…it made her think of a brighter future. And forget about the past.

* * *

_After their father died, their mother married again. Their step-father was a cruel man who always beat them. Ellie took most of it so she could protect Millie. Her little sister always cried…but Ellie never let her tears out. She couldn't let her feelings hurt Millie, or anyone else. That was why she joined the tournament-to find happiness for her sister. That was why she loved Ryo._

_In his arms, she felt safe and protected. She didn't have to fear anything or hold back. Their love was warm and passionate. A burning flame. She had given into this love; she had left her heart burn in its fire. She wanted to protect that burning flame by keeping him away from all her secrets and anything that might happen to him because of her. She wouldn't bare it. Never!

* * *

_

"Still up?" asked Lilly, as she walked in the kitchen and poured herself a glass of milk "You have early lessons tomorrow, try getting some sleep."

"I know…I just need to think."

"About what?"

"Aiko and I….talked about grandmothers today."

"Oh…I see. What did you tell her?"

"Nothing. Nothing at all. It's not a subject she needs to think about."

"Good. She's too young to burden herself with home violence. Ellie…did she ask about her father too?"

"She wanted to know if he had feelings."

"And?"

"I told her the truth. As always." Ellie looked at the sky and sighed.

"Ellie…I still think it's not too late to tell him."

"What? It's been four years, he must've forgotten I existed."

"It's hard for you, Ellie. I personally don't mind raising Aiko, but sooner or later one of us might find somebody to love. She'll go and have her own family. I don't want you to be left alone."

"You don't understand…" said Ellie "Whatever happens, I will make it through."

"I'm not sure you'll endure all that…"

"Don't trouble yourself with that. I've always known what responsibility felt like. Even before…even before that lousy excuse for a mother turned us out of the house I knew I would look after Millie. It's no different now. I'll make it through. I have to."

Lilly sighed.

"I guess so."

* * *

The next morning the whole group was out in the centre, shopping. They had finally managed to get Aiko into the junior's ballet trope and she was very exited about it. They had to buy her some new shoes and they were at it. While they were passing some café, they suddenly stopped upon hearing somebody telling really bad jokes in English.

_"No way."_ They thought and approached. And there he was-Chocolove McDaniel, an American shaman from Yoh's gang, dressed in a banana outfit and telling his usual jokes in English. He was lucky as obviously the people in the crowd didn't understand a word he was saying and were only listening curiously. He finished with his last joke and got off the cardboard box he was standing on. The people went away and he sighed. He wasn't lucky lately.

"Yo, Chocolove!" somebody called. He raised his eyes and saw the Lillys walking towards him, smiling and waving.

"Hi ya, girls!" he grinned "Long time no siege! Did you get it? No siege?"

The girls laughed out, a little uncomfortably. Aiko was obviously not getting the hand of it and asked.

"Excuse me, mister…are you really a banana?"

Chocolove looked down and Aiko as if he saw her for the first time, then suddenly gave her a wide smile and pulled a balloon out of nowhere.

"I can be anything I want, little princess! And talking about bananas, did I tell you the one about the banana and the hedgehog?"

"I don't know. My mommy brought me just now and I couldn't hear anything from standing so far behind."

"Oh, that's too bad." Said Chocolove, obviously not getting who that mommy was "What's your name, little lady?"

"My name is Aiko. I'm four and a half years old, I have one mommy and four aunties…or was it one auntie and four mommies…I'm not sure. I like ballet and karate and ice-cream and fish. I also see dead people but my auntie tells me I shouldn't say that on the street so forget all about it, OK?"

Chocolove looked stunned, then looked at the Lillys.

"Is that kid yours?"

"Yes. She's mine." Smiled Ellie and picked Aiko up "Ai-chan, this man here is Chocolove McDaniel. He's also a shaman, so there's no problem talking about ghosts in front of him."

Aiko's eyes grew wide with astonishment as she beamed at Chocolove.

"Are you really a shaman, Chocolove onii-chan?" she asked, her eyes as big as plates.

"I am indeed!" he smiled and waved as a huge jaguar appeared next to him. "And this is my guardian ghost, Mick."

"Wow, a kitty!" Aiko squeaked out and caused Mick and Chocolove to sweat drop. "Can I touch it, please!"

Ellie laughed out and put her daughter down so she can stroke Mick's hair. Aiko seemed really happy and just kept smiling.

"He's really cute." She said.

"He is indeed." Agreed her mother "Chocolove, what are you doing here?"

"Just passing by. I'm going to Japan to see Yoh-kun and I'm just staying here for a day. So I tried to win the Spanish's hearts. I guess…not very successfully."

"It's OK." Laughed Ellie out

"Are you girls going shopping?" asked the American shaman

"Yes…Aiko needs dance shoes."

"Great. Can you girls show me around? I'll buy you coffee."

"No need to buy us, we'll show you around for free."

"Really?"

"Yes…just don't tell stupid jokes un front of the child, OK?"

"You have my word!"

* * *

They walked on, then suddenly he pulled out a camera and begged the girls to shoot them. At first they didn't want it, but then they agreed. As he was taking pictures they inquired after Yoh and his friends. Chocolove was really talkative and said lots of stuff. Yoh and Anna were getting married, despite the fact that Yoh wasn't Shaman King. Lyserg was working hard to be a detective.

"Have you heard anything from Ryo, Chocolove?" asked Sally, as Ellie and Aiko were posing.

"Yeah, he opened a restaurant in Tokyo. He's doing really good, though he's changed. Can you believe it, he stopped chasing girls!"

"Really?" asked Ellie in utter surprise. "He hasn't got a girlfriend yet? That's weird."

"Yeah, but…he's doing well."

"Maybe he's looking for true love." Cooed Aiko from her mother's arms. Ellie didn't answer. She just gave her daughter a serene smile.

* * *

A/N-So, folks, how do you like it? Will Aiko keep winning people's hearts? Will Ryo ever know he has a daughter? Will Ellie have the courage to tell him? Will I get more comments? We'll just have to wait and see. 


	3. Images

**Missed me? New chapter, folks, nothing much happening. A little short this time, you'll have to excuse me.

* * *

**

Images 

Aiko woke up veeery slowly. She didn't enjoy getting up early. Sometimes she even wished she could smash the alarm clock, but her arms weren't strong enough to do that. She opened her eyes, hugged the pillow and tried to enjoy what was left of her dream. It was a good one-she was running through a beach with her mommy…and somebody else. There was somebody tall and strong who sometimes picked her up and spun her in the air. All three were laughing, and Aiko was having the time of her life. Her mommy was laughing and seemed so happy-there wasn't a trace of the sadness in her eyes. But for some reason, hard as she tried, she couldn't make out the other person's face. Aiko was pretty sure it was a man, a tall and strong man obviously, but his features were dim and unreadable.

"Maybe my daddy?" Aiko asked herself as she heard sounds from the other rooms and sighed. It couldn't be true, it was just a dream. Maybe it was somebody she knew and she was just wishing he was her father. Still, the idea that she might see him in her dreams made her heart leap-because, even if she didn't hear his voice or saw his face, she knew he was a kind and gentle person. Aiko closed her eyes one last time and smiled happily-it was such a warm feeling! It was wonderful.

* * *

She got up and made her bead, then chose a dress. Her auntie Millie, with whom she shared the room, was still sound asleep. Aiko sighed, then jumped on the bed, causing Millie to leap up and scream:

"THE SHIP'S SINKING! WOMEN AND CHILDREN FIRST!" Millie blinked and looked down at her niece who was standing with her arms on her waist and was tapping her foot in a distinguished (but a little overactive) manner. "Oh, Ai-chan."

"What are you doing slumbering around?!" asked Aiko like an angry mother. "Get up, you have to go early in the theatre today!"

"Oh…right!" Millie yawned and got up, giving her niece a kiss on the cheek and went to the wardrobe. While she was pulling some jeans out Aiko asked her about the dream she had.

"Was it that good?" Aiko was curious this morning. Millie yawned and rubbed her temples.

"I guess so. I was on the Titanic, but instead of Leonardo DiCaprio I was with Lyserg-san." Aiko blinked owlishly. Of course she knew who Lyserg was. But her auntie acted as if she had forgotten him-she never mentioned him, or confessed that she had dreamed about him. "What about you, Ai-chan? Did you sleep well?"

"I slept great!" smiled Aiko "I had a really good dream."

"I'm glad to hear that." Said Milly and started to comb her hair.

* * *

Aiko always loved the mornings. Lilly came through the front door, her cheeks rosy from the jogging. Sally was playing her electric guitar and after a while Sharona came in the kitchen with curlers in her hair and screamed:

"Sally! STOP THIS INFERNAL NOICE ALREADY!"

Ellie sighed as she was combing her daughter's hair, and Ai-chan giggled. She knew her auntie Sharona liked Sally's playing, but kept complaining so she could argue with somebody-she couldn't live without the exercise.

"Let's get going." Sighed Ellie and picked Aiko up "We'll be late."

Working at the same place was nice, but the departure was always problematic.

"Where are my keys!" screamed Lilly and since the keys didn't answer she started cursing in a mixture of Spanish and German.

"Lilly! Stop using foul language in front of Millie and Aiko!" scolded her Sharona, who had some really strange ideas about swearing and cursing. "At least go into the other room!"

"SHUT UP!" said Lilly "Found them…little buggers!"

"Lilly!"

"Ooops!" said Sally "Forgot my toe shoes."

"Sally, sometimes…"

"Found them!"

"OK, does anyone have something else to take?" asked Sharona in a pissed tone "Does Millie have her make-up on? Is Hormonized Bastard with us?"

"Sharona!" scolded her Ellie, while Aiko giggled.

And with this the Lys left the building. While on the other end of the world…

* * *

When Ryo woke up things seemed blur to him. His head was spinning, but his heart was filled with joy for some reason. He had a nice dream. He was walking on a beach with a woman and a child. He couldn't remember their faces-the felt like phantoms-this air and maybe a scent. It wasn't a memory. He could swear he knew them, but he just couldn't remember. Maybe it was a prediction of his future? He would have a wife and a child? Weird, considering women didn't attract him anymore.

Ellie…even now the memory of her brought out pain in his heart. It was an old wound, and he managed to keep it to himself. Nevertheless, it continued to bleed. Nevertheless, it hurt.

He got up and got ready to go to work. It was Friday, which meant that he worked only half day. He would go back to the Onsen in time to meet Chocolove and hear the news from America. For some reason, he was really looking forward to it, and got home really early, even if it meant listening to all of his friend's jokes.

Chocolove had a nice journey and was enough relaxed to talk. Yoh and Ryo, however, were his only listeners for a long, long time. And all they heard from him were really bad jokes.

"By the way, you'd never guess who I met in Madrid!" he said suddenly

"Who?"

"The Lillys!" smiled Chocolove. Ryo gaped. He had? Honestly?

"And…how are they going?"

"Well…they seemed well. They are working in a theatre. Wait a sec, I have pictures."

"I see. They've settled down, huh?" asked Ryo sadly, knowing that they probably didn't remember him.

"Yeah, I guess so. We had some coffee together. By the way, do you know how hard it is to find a table for seven in that place? It was hell!"

"Seven? Don't you mean six?" asked Yoh

"No. Seven." Explained Chocolove "Me, Sally, Lilly, Millie, Sharona, Aiko and Ellie. Seven."

"Aiko?" Ryo raised an eyebrow. "Did one of them find a boyfriend or something?"

"So it would seem, because Ellie has a daughter now."

"A daughter." Ryo's heart fell. She had found someone already?

"Yeah, that's Aiko. Here!" And Chocolove pulled out a handful of pictures. Ryo bent forward and goggled. He said:

"She's so cute!"

What did he feel? Anger? Maybe. But not towards Ellie, towards himself. She had moved on, he hadn't. But when he saw the picture all he felt was pure adoration.

The girls were there. Maybe with different haircuts, a little tanned, but still the same. Millie had grown up….definitely. And there, in Ellie's arms….

He sighed. If there was an impossible thing in the world, it would be to convince him that Aiko wasn't the cutest thing alive. There she was, dressed up like a canary in a yellow and orange dress, her fair hair combed on one side, giving the whole word an adorable smile! Ryo felt his heart warming. She was so sweet and so cute, and so blond too. She looked like her mother. Though her eyes had a different form. And they were dark.

That puzzled Ryo. Indeed, her irises were pure black and had a very different form. Was that she got from her father? Weird.

As he was looking at the pictures something stung his heart. Why did Ellie have to leave? Why did she go away without a word? They could've been together. Maybe things might have worked out. Seeing this beautiful child, Ryo felt an old dream come to life again. A dream of the times when he was a hopeless romantic and dreamed of a wife and children.

"So…she's married then." He said at last. Chocolove beamed at him, a little puzzled. Then he noticed something in his look and said slowly.

"No….I don't recall her mentioning a husband…"

"But she has a daughter…"

"So? Now days it doesn't mean that you have to be married to have a child. Actually, she didn't even have a ring. Maybe something happened, but she didn't talk about it. But Aiko is a real beauty, isn't she?"

"Indeed." Ryo agreed. But he was reflecting on Chocolove's words. She wasn't married.

* * *

_"A tour?!"_ Ellie sighed _"We're going on a tour."_

_"That's great, isn't it?" _Asked Lilly _"Aiko will see the world."_

_"Yeah, well see where are we going!"_ sighed Ellie _"We'll have to perform in Tokyo!"_

The voices of her mommy and aunties were coming behind the wall, as Aiko was falling asleep. Sometime she would listen carefully. But now she didn't pay any attention. She was falling asleep quickly, hoping that she might have the same dream again.

* * *

Ellie went out on the balcony and sighed-there was no escape from fate indeed. She sat down and looked out to the night sky, hoping for some sort of consolation. None came. She sighed again.

There was no way to get away from that tour. She was head choreographer and that meant she had to go. Tokyo, Japan. There was a chance to meet him. There was a chance for them to meet. A big one, since they met Chocolove and he was bound to tell Yoh and his friends. A chance that Ryo might see Aiko and then….

She took a deep breath. She had to stay calm. Tokyo was a metropolis. The chances of running into him were small. If she didn't call anyone and they stayed at the hotel…But Aiko would be restless. She'd want to go out. What if they ran into him in the park or at the market. Sure, he wasn't an expert in these things but it was enough for him to talk to Ai-chan to get suspicious. Then he'd seek the truth. And force it out of her. No, Ellie didn't wish to think what was going to happen to him if he tried to take responsibility for Aiko and her.

She tired to hold back her tears and cried out quietly. Things couldn't get any worse.

* * *

Ryo sat in his room, looking at the picture. Chocolove had given him one, after dinner, while they were washing the dishes. He had seen how much he liked it and thought he can have it. Ryo was grateful, for some unknown reason.

It was a nice picture. Ellie and Aiko, in front of a market place. Aiko was in her mother's arms, waving and smiling widely. Such an adorable smile she had!

And Ellie….she hadn't changed a bit. Her looks suited her age perfectly-no wrinkles or white hairs, her body was as slim and strong as ever. But motherhood had changed her for sure. Her features were less angular, her eyes didn't look so feline-ish, there was tenderness and warmth in her gaze. There was something else-a serene smile on her lips, mysterious and thoughtful, as if she was remembering something really pleasant. Something only she knew.

Ryo left the photo on the table and went to bed-he couldn't stare it all night now, could he? He had to be up early in the morning. He fell asleep, the dream from last night returning. Only that, strange thing, instead with plain ghosts, he saw himself walking on the beach with Ellie, who was smiling at him like in the picture, and little Aiko asleep in their arms.

* * *

A/N-Short indeed. I hope you people liked it though. Byeeeeeeeee... 


	4. Somebody special

**I'm baaaaack! Miss me? No? Yes? Flatered. So, next chapter. Not my best, I'll do better next time.

* * *

**

Somebody special 

Aiko squeaked with joy as they got out of the international airport in Tokyo. Her mother was holding her hand as they followed the rest of the trope to the hotel and checked in. All the time the little girl was spinning around, trying to see everything. It was so big, and there were so many people. It was so exciting.

But all Ellie could think about was how to get to the hotel. And until they were in their room, she could take a breath. Well, a hotel was a bit strong-it was more like a humble dormitory. Her friends unpacked, and Millie started playing cards with Aiko. Ellie watched them and thought about how normal it seemed. The small apartment they were going to share for the next month or two was all simplicity, but it already felt like their home.

Home…that word was something weird for them. A word they knew the meaning of, but didn't exactly feel it in their hearts. Chased away from any family, they lived like nomads with no real cost. Ellie hoped that Aiko would never feel that way and that she'd feel at home with everyone when she grew up. It was horrible-it felt as if a part of your heart was frozen. Ellie didn't want her daughter to feel such pain.

As she was looking at the way Sharona and Lilly fought over space Ellie remembered how much they resembled Yoh's group. And then her thoughts shifted onto Ryo. Chocolove said he had given up dating. Why, she couldn't tell. Maybe he had grown up and had decided to wait patiently for his big love. Maybe the American boy wasn't so much in track of things and Ellie's former lover had already found that special someone. If it was the latter, she felt happy for him. Moving on was the best.

Still she couldn't help and wonder how it would have been if he knew. If they talked things over and found out a way to deal with the difficulties. Maybe they would have gotten married. Aiko would have a real family. Not that her friends didn't make perfect aunties for her….but a father was a whole lot different. Ryo would love Aiko for sure….but it was too dangerous. Maybe it was for the best...maybe not...

"Maybe I'm just a coward." Ellie whispered to herself.

* * *

At the same time Ryo was wondering about the strange dreams he had lately. Dreams of Ellie and her daughter. The young man couldn't get them out of his head. Sometimes they were really weird. Sometimes Ellie's daughter would wave at him, laugh and call him "daddy". Sometimes it was just him and Ellie-she would confess she loved him all along, they would make up and then…and then his dreams turned out for a little different direction. At the thought about how weird those dreams got Ryo sometimes even blushed at his own crudeness.

Still, he thought a little more about those reveries. About their real meaning. Maybe they told him that he should look for her and talk to her. It had been…what, five years. Or maybe something was going to happen…something that would change his life.

He was almost sure it wasn't going to be Ellie, though. The fact that she wasn't married didn't mean that she hadn't found someone. Maybe she was engaged. Maybe Aiko's father was dead. But that woman was lost for him, there was no other way. Still, often he pulled out their photo and looked at it. He would examine it for a long time, and then put it away with a happy, joyful smile.

* * *

It was the third day since they arrived at Tokyo and Aiko got lost. Not that she wanted to do it, she just went out to get something for her teacher while her mommy was working, and she couldn't find her way back.

The little girl gulped nervously as she found herself at one of the busiest streets of Tokyo, but didn't lose her nerves. She knew that if she got lost all she had to do was to find her way to the nearest police station and ask politely to call her mother. But this wasn't Madrid and Aiko had a hard time finding her way around the town. Her Japanese was tolerable enough, but she didn't know all the kanji and the names of the streets seemed like funny scribbles to her.

Too bad Aiko wasn't in the mood for laughing. She knew it was dangerous, but never expected to get lost to the grocery shop. And she was aware of all the things that could happen to her. She decided to keep to the crowd and soon enough she would find a police officer.

That way she found herself on a busy market. The merchants were shouting, people were bargaining in a loud voice, and in all the commotion the little girl was hardly noticeable. She walked up to the end of the street, where a small river ran. Aiko stopped and went closer. Her reflection shun in the water and she smiled at the calm site.

"Hey, you!" a mean voice shouted out and she turned around to see half a dozen men dressed in white suits. Some of them held wooden swords and their faces were masked. Aiko gulped. "Don't you know this is Diesel's turf. Get out of here!"

The girl was stiff with fear. She didn't know what to say or do. It was proper to apologize and get out as soon as possible, but her words couldn't get out of her throat. On of the men, probably the leader, took her stupefaction for stubbornness and swung his sword angrily at her. Aiko held her breath and jumped away, but then slipped and fell on the ground. She knew that guy was going to hit her for sure, so she crumbled up and covered her head with her hands.

But a strike didn't follow. So she carefully opened her eyes and saw a tall man, dressed in a white and purple outfit with a really weird hairdo, pointing with a wooden sword at the guy in white's throat. The other members of the gang had fled, but the leader was pinned against the ground. Aiko looked at her savior with surprise as he said:

"Picking on little kids! Shameful!" the leader started mumbling excuses, but the other guy was obviously furious. Aiko felt that things might get really nasty and quickly said.

"Please, sir, don't kill him!"

The guy turned around surprisingly and Aiko saw he had a really pleasant face and gentle, black eyes. Her face was wet with tears, but she seemed stubbornly determined to save him from committing a serious crime. The guy suddenly smiled and left the thug alone to go to her. He knelt down and asked:

"I won't don't worry. But are you OK? Did he hurt you?"

"No, I'm fine, I just lost my mommy and I was looking for a cop to help me find her and how did you move so fast anyway?" she spat all that out in one sentence, in a mixture of Japanese and English, which only made the man chuckle and then he answered in perfext English:

"I train a lot, that's all. Did you get lost in the market?"

"No, I just couldn't find my way back to the theatre. My mommy's going to be very worried, so I have to go back soon." Aiko replied in Japanese, determined not to start in her native language. "I'm Aiko and I came with my four aunties and mommy from Spain, so I'm a foreign citizen and I'll be in big trouble if I keep being lost."

Ryo felt a small shiver down his spine as he heard this. He suddenly looked at the child carefully, trying to make out her features through the traces of tears and the frown. Then he said:

"Is your mommy's name Ellie?"

"Yeah! How did you know?" Aiko squeaked out. Ryo smiled gently.

"I've met her during the Shaman tournament."

"No way! Where is your guardian ghost?" Tokageroh appeared and Aiko's eyes grew as wide as plates. "WOW!"

"I've heard about you from Chocolove." Said Ryo "Do you remember him?"

"Yeah…but who are you?" Aiko seemed really puzzled and a little suspicious.

"My name's Ryo." He presented himself. The little girl's face lit up.

"Oh, yeah! My mommy told me about you!"

"She did?" laughed Ryo and held his hand out to Aiko, and she accepted it, as she said:

"Yeah, she told me you are really into Elvis Presley and that you ware your hair in a really funny pompadour, but I didn't know what that was. Isn't it a little heavy? Don't people look at you on the street? And how much hair gel does it take for that thing to stay straight?!"

Ryo chuckled.

"A lot. And a lot of work. Sometimes I have to comb it ten times a day."

"Isn't that a lot of trouble to go through for a hairdo?" Aiko asked "I mean, what if a bad guy attacks you and your hair is messed up?"

"Well, I won't comb it in the middle of a fight."

"But what if he starts pulling your hair? It's not nice, and even if you're really tall you might be pulled to the ground. And that's not a good thing, isn't it?" her curious, honest eyes made Ryo think about it.

"You know…I think you have a point."

* * *

He took her to the Funbari Osen, where Chocolove set out to call Ellie. Meanwhile Aiko was introduced to Anna and Yoh, the queen of the house paying Ellie's daughter a little attention, and Yoh cheerfully asking her how she was. After that she found herself at the kitchen where Ryo was fixing sushi for dinner and they talked about sauces.

"Do you like sushi, Aiko?" asked Ryo

"I love fish. My mommy cooks me some ,but she's not pretty good at it. She improves, though. And she makes a really nice fruit cake."

"I see." Ryo smiled "Here, try this and tell me how you like it." Aiko took the chop sticks in her little hands with the swiftness of a professional and after she tried some she exclaimed:

"Wow! This is so amazing!" a small speech in her Spanish-English-Japanese followed and Ryo smiled widely. "Hey, Ryo-san, do you think that you could give my mommy a recipe or two? She could use some professional advice."

"Well, I'm glad you liked it." Ryo laughed out "But I'm not a professional. I never specialized." Aiko didn't look very convinced and he decided not to argue with her. For some reason he knew that little peanut would beat his arguments like nothing. "I don't know about recipe, but if your mommy doesn't mind maybe you two could stay for dinner."

Aiko's eyes grew as wide as plates and she squeaked out happily: "That would be awesome! Can my teddy bear stay too?"

"If he's hungry." Ryo noticed the stuffed animal in the girl's hands and turned to look at it. "What's it's name?"

"Well….my aunties say it's Sammie, but I gave it another name, but they say it's not proper to say it in public."

"Well, we're not at public, so you could tell me."

"OK….his name's Hormonized Bastard." Ryo's eyebrow twitched as he tried to make out what she said. "It's the nicest name my aunties use about my daddy, so I thought it's useful."

Ryo's face softened and he took a seat next to her.

"Do you know your father, Aiko?" he asked gently

"Well, no. But I talk to him a lot in my dreams. Oh, mommy's here!" the little girl exclaimed and she ran to the door with Ryo in tow. In the garden Aiko ran over to a young woman, who seemed on the brick of a heart attack. She screamed "AIKO" and pulled the girl in her arms.

Ryo watched from the door how the two hugged and cried together. He recognized Ellie at first sight and used the opportunity to feast his eyes on her. Indeed, motherhood had only made her even more beautiful. Her hair was shorter, but her features was softened. Right now her eyes were full of tears and she repeated "I was so worried!" over and over again. Aiko was also crying as she said:

"I'm sorry, mommy, I won't do it again!" Ellie pulled away to look at her daughter.

"Ai-chan, what were you thinking?"

"I just went to fetch something for Maria. I didn't think I'd get lost."

"Oh, sweetie!" Ellie's voice was filled with concern and sadness "Please, please don't do this again. I told you you can't go out on your own!"

"Yeah, I made it to the river. Then some guys picked on me…"

"WHAT!" Ellie almost shrieked out "What happened?! Did they do anything to you?"

"Don't worry." Ryo cut in and walked towards them. Ellie, seeing him for the first time, quickly wiped her tears and got up. "She was just a little freaked out, but she recovered fast. You have a very brave daughter, Ellie."

"Yes…indeed. Thank you." The young woman said, and noticed almost nothing about him had changed over the years. He still had that gentle, devoted and caring expression on his face. His air was nice and he was just as handsome as ever. He had matured a little, she thought. He seemed less air-headed.

There was a silence, in which they both wondered what was the appropriate thing to say in those situations. Ryo always thought he'd ask an her for and explanation…but Aiko erased that thought. Instead his mouth opened and words escaped on their own:

"I'm really glad to see you're doing OK, Ellie-san." She blinked at the official way he addressed her "Are you here on holiday?"

"No….on a business trip. We….we'll be staying for a while."

"I hope you have time to stay for dinner." Ryo said "I already invited Aiko-san and I hope that you'll accept it."

"Mommy, can we stay?" Ryo noticed how Ellie stiffened and then panic showed in her eyes. Her voice was calm, but she seemed really nervous.

"Ai-chan, you know we can't do that. It's not polite to barge in like that."

"Barging in isn't the problem." Ryo said, surprised at his own rudeness "I mean…I don't mind if you stay."

Ellie's expression was tense. "I'm sorry, but some people are waiting for us. We can't make them wait any longer. Come, Aiko."

She took her daughter in her arms and carried her away. While she walked out of the door, she turned around and bowed again.

"Thank you for your hospitality again. It was nice to see you."

Ryo watched as she disappeared. It was so familiar. She didn't say goodbye. Ryo kept repeating to himself that it didn't matter who she was and what did she do. Upon returning to the kitchen though he noticed that Aiko had forgotten her teddy bear. He picked it up and thought about running after them, when something hit him.

"Wait a sec…Hormonized bastard?!"

* * *

A/N-I'm going too far with that stuffed animal. Oh, well. Light bulb starts to blink somewhere. Next chapter coming up...eventually. 


	5. Seeds of doubt

**I'm back. Sorry it kept so long. I hate making other people wait. Hope it's worth it.

* * *

**

Seeds of doubt 

Ellie walked very quickly. Well, ran, to be exact. Ran away from the Onsen, ran away from him. She almost felt that he'd run after them and drag them back and demand an explanation. She wasn't sure if she wanted it or not, but she did want her daughter to be safe.

* * *

Ryo looked out the window, as the sun set over the skyscrapers of Tokyo, and the town started to shine like a digital paradise. He didn't like it-it seemed too artificial to him.

He turned the stuff animal in his hands and looked at it. Why did she ran away like that? Why did she seem so afraid? Or maybe she was too mad at him. Well, his behavior was far from polite, but still….

OK, so he acted cruel. What did she expect? After all they've been through it was normal for him to feel used and angry…

Well, he wasn't. He was supposed to be and wanted to be because it was the normal thing to do. So why? Maybe because of Aiko. That child was amazing. Ryo smiled-she looked like her mother. Only she laughed a little more.

There was something that bothered him. Ellie seemed too nervous even for herself-she was tense and a little shaken, she avoided to look him in the eye and tried to get out of site as soon as possible. Her explanation wasn't sufficient. Was it because of him? Or because of Aiko.

He growled and grabbed his head. No, it wasn't possible. It was ridiculous. He stirred the rise and thought about it a little more.

It was ridiculous. Aiko? His daughter? No way. Sure, she was about 5 years old and had some resemblance to him, but….how could it be. Ellie was a kind and caring person, but she was also quite empty headed and if she had been pregnant at the time she would've told him. He couldn't imagine her doing something like taking over all the responsibility of raising a child. No. It seemed more probable that the father of the baby had left her and made her grow up. That would explain the epithet the girls used.

And yet there was this feeling. He didn't know why, he just knew. He could always trust this feeling, but now….how could he be sure.

"_Fine."_ He thought _"There's a way to find out."

* * *

_

"_Maybe I'm over reacting."_ Ellie thought the next day as she walked down the corridor in the building where the trope worked.

The impression faded away soon, as she found herself walking in the same corridor as him. She tried masking her surprise and greeted him civilly, but couldn't feel a little intimidated. Because he not only stopped to exchange a few words, but turned around and started walking in the same direction as her.

"I was a little lost, I couldn't seem to find the elevator." He said.

"_Lie."_ Ellie thought. The elevator was so big even an idiot wouldn't have missed it. He must've been searching for somebody. But she decided not to say anything and since she was taking the elevator too, she waited with him.

"So…what brings you here?" she said, trying to break off the silence as they waited.

"Oh, I decided to offer my services as caterer for your trope. We made a good deal with your chief."

"My, that's….very kind of you."

"I was wondering if you guys eat properly." He eyed her in a weird way "You don't seem to be eating much, and your daughter must spend her days with you."

"Aiko doesn't eat here." Ellie said "It's hard enough to get her to eat without the food being revolting. We cook her something from home." She pouted "Do you honestly think I would let her starve?"

They stepped in the elevator.

"Who knows. I never fully understood your character." Ryo said and then he did something Ellie never thought he would do.

His hand quickly pressed the "stop" button, then grabbed her through the waist and pulled her against him. She tried turning to see what was happening and their lips crashed halfway.

She was so surprised it didn't occur to stop him or to pull back. Before she realized what was happening, she was responding to the kiss. It was…horrifying, she never thought of showing such weakness, but still, her body didn't give a damn about what the mind thought. She had been always living in a cold cell, with neither sun, nor light, nor warmth. Hell, how could she have lived 6 years without missing him?

And still things weren't so good as to be relaxing-Ellie managed to free her hand and press a random button. The second the doors opened she dashed out, gasping for air and thankful there weren't any people in the corridor.

"What the Hell where you thinking?" she said quietly

"I suppose only your boyfriend can do that now, huh?" he answered as he picked up some papers she had dropped. "But as far as I can see, you haven't changed a bit, Ellie."

"What's that supposed to mean?" she spat out as she grabbed her things from him

"I'm just saying that you haven't changed your ways. I hope Aiko wouldn't get ideas from you."

"You're talking nonsense. What are you trying to say?"

"Is Aiko my daughter?" he asked straight forward. The question caught her unprepared and the amazement was clear on her face. "Don't play dumb, Ellie, she's approximately 5 years old and has enough Shaman power to see ghosts. I'm not that stupid. Tell me is it true."

"Ridiculous. I am a shaman-that's enough for her to see spirits. Don't say such things!"

"Really? Then who is it, huh? It must be another shaman, otherwise she wouldn't have been so sensitive about ghosts. Your powers have always been weak, Ellie. Don't try to fool me." She looked at him in a cold way.

"So who is it then?" he went on "You two must've gotten close soon after you disappeared from Patch."

"You are being absurd." She hissed out "Do you honestly think I'm such a slut?"

"What should I make out of your little vanishing act? You left without even saying goodbye?" Ellie bit her lip. Thank goodness nobody was in the hall to hear them, Ryo was outraged.

"Stop lying! Tell me who Aiko's father is. People don't get pregnant out of fin air and you are no saint." Her eyes widened and he went on "If you didn't find anybody you must've been pregnant before we even went out. Was it like that, huh?"

She gasped. It wasn't from surprise, but from the shock-she knew he would be upset but never imagined he would think so ill of her.

"Well, what is it? It's probably like that. It couldn't have been easy for you to know who the father was, you probably don't even remember all the guys you layed!"

SLAP!

And there was silence.

The slap Ellie gave him was so strong it made his teeth ring. Ryo's cheeks went red and his eyes turned to his former girlfriend, filled with the purest of surprise.

HER face was an example of pure anger. It was red and her eyes threw lightening.

"Never…." Her voice was shaking from rage "Never ever again…give me scenes like that! Aiko IS NOT your daughter! And I wasn't close enough to you to be your girl or whatever."

He was silent.

"Let me make this clear to you." She went on "What happened between us back there wasn't love. I was nothing but a cheerleader, a side-viewer. My role was and still is insignificant. I was nothing but a comfort to you. Do not even think I could fancy myself that much as to be something to you. Now I have a life and a daughter. So….please…just return me the favor and mind your own business!"

With those words she turned and left his standing in the middle of the hallway with a flaming cheek and astonished look.

* * *

"What was that guy thinking?!" Ellie exclaimed. It was late in the evening, Ai-chan was asleep-it was the time for conversations even she wasn't allowed to hear.

The rest of the Ly's stood in the room, dressed in their pajamas and listening. It would've looked like a teenage sleep over, only the things they discussed weren't so simple.

"I mean HELL, we were in the building. What if anyone saw us? What if anyone heard us? What if anyone was Ai-chan? What the HELL is so funny?" the last was addressed to Sally's chuckle.

"Oh, nothing." The red head answered, but she kept smiling. Sharona coughed out.

"I am not." She said

"You are not…what?" Ellie asked

"I am NOT giving you the "I told you so" speech." Sharona explained and shook her golden locks "The circumstances are far too sad for me to gloat."

"You better not." Ellie said angrily. "It's hard enough."

"Don't take this as boasting, but…" Sally said "What did you expect to happen? He's not dumb, and it wouldn't have taken long for him to do the math. All that had to happen was for Aiko to talk to him."

"What are you implying?"

"Oh, come on." Lilly exclaimed "Don't you think it's a little obvious?"

"If Aiko was a boy, yes." Ellie frowned "But it's not like that."

"All he had to do is talk to her. Don't think it's so hard." Millie sighed "So…what are we going to do now?"

"Nothing. I told him that she's not his daughter and asked him to leave it alone." Ellie said.

"You AKSED him?" Sharona's eyebrow cocked "As in you asked him nicely and politely to forget the whole affair or as in you made a scene and ordered him to leave you and your daughter alone?"

Silence.

"Oh, I have a bad feeling it's the second." The blond sighed.

"NO! It's just that….well, I was pretty mad. I asked him…but I was so angry…"

They looked at her questioningly.

"You weren't there." She blasted out "You didn't hear what he said."

"I can quite imagine how it went. Was he THAT rude?"

Ellie repeated his words. Sharona looked stunned.

"And I thought him a polite young man." She said, shockingly.

"Come on, given a better thought he has the right to be angry." Lilly said "After all things like that aren't something you can hide. What exactly are you going to do? Things just got a whole lot serious."

"What do you mean?"

"It's different. You told him Aiko wasn't his daughter. Hiding the truth is different than lying. Or do you still say that he it's for his own good, no matter how bad it is?"

"If it's for his own good it can't be bad."

"Oh, we are so fucked up." Lilly sighed and got up.

* * *

A/N-OK, maybe a little too much for one chapter. Oh well. 


	6. His loving eyes

**I'm back sings Ayame style, miss me? Oh, well, new chapter, hopefully this isn't turning out to be a bad soap opera.

* * *

**

His loving eyes 

It was hard. Not only working together under the same roof, but putting up with the pressure and tension. Ryo gave up the direct approach, but started bothering the rest of the trope, asking different questions that were supposed to give him the answers he needed. Luckily, nobody except the Lilly 5 understood the purpose of these questions and the public scandal, as Sharona called it, was avoided.

The Ly's were of course his favorite victims. Sally obviously found a funny side to this as she laughed all the time, Sharona gave him the cold shoulder, Millie didn't pay him any attention and Lilly got irritated. Once she even hit him on the head with a folder and told him to change his hairdo.

Ellie tried her best to ignore him and act as professional and grown-up as she possibly could. But it was hard-having him so close without any contact was a torture. He was snooping around and irritating her intentionally, and she hardly suppressed and urge to….well, grab him, nail him to a wall and kiss him…and do other things that weren't very allowed. But that was just it-he wasn't hers anymore. There was nothing between them…OK, officially there wasn't.

But that wasn't the point. Ellie always felt cold and lifeless. Love gave her a new fire of live. And standing so close to that fire without being able to warm yourself was a source of an endless torment. And it was mutual.

* * *

"_I never wanted to hurt her like that." _He thought was he saw her every day. He knew he pissed her off with his research, but couldn't stop. He wanted her good opinion-more than anything he wished them to get along. But it was…like mixing fire and ice-it never worked out.

Ellie tried her best to stay clam. "Hold on" she repeated to herself "Hold back on him, keep it up, it's just for some more months. You're a good girl, you have to be strong! Don't be sad, DON'T CRY!" Her daughter was her only bliss. Their love was her Hell. And she expressed her emotions through the only way she could-by dancing.

* * *

Her talent was noticed in their first performance, but through her students, who took her fever on the stage. She watched them with tension, dancing herself from time to time.

Their work was highly appreciated in their first performance and many more were scheduled to follow. After the first night flowers and notices like love letters in the newspapers started coming in.

The morning after the show Ellie carried a huge gifts basket towards the dressing room of one of the dancers. It was overflowing with flowers and champagne and it was so damn heavy. On top of all the flowers were in full bloom, spreading pollen in the air and making her sneeze. She couldn't see her way from all the multicolor petals.

She met Ryo near the stairs.

"Nice show." He complimented her "You did a good job."

"Yeah…Thanks." She breathed out, not feeling her hands. It was the first time since that disastrous elevator encounter that she spoke to him.

"Yes, you did pretty good. I guess you had some talent." As always Ellie ignored the rude remark, having in mind that she deserved it. "Are you sure you don't need a hand?"

"I can handle it." Ellie frowned.

"Come on, if it's heavy let somebody help you." He stepped forward, she stepped back. "Don't be stubborn, it's no use to you if you do all the heavy lifting."

"Yeah, you're the one to tell." She turned her back on him and started walking away "Like you give a damn about it."

In that moment she started descending the stairs. But since she barely saw anything from the flowers and their pollen made her sneeze in the middle of the stairs she slipped and fell back. The basket flew away from her hands and she prepared for the impact….

But there was no such. Instead she felt how somebody came to her. She opened her eyes to see Ryo standing next to her. One of his hands was holding her head so it wouldn't hit the stairs, the other one was seizing her shoulder. Ellie looked at him with astonishment as he held her so gently as if she was made of glass.

Somewhere there was a sound of a basket falling on the floor, but neither of them noticed it. Ellie was too busy looking stunned. Ryo on the other hand seemed a lot more worried about her.

"You're not OK." He said. Ellie seemed too tired to object, but couldn't help squeaking quietly as he swung her up into his arms and helped her sit down at the end of the stairs. She held her head between her hands and pressed it. It was pounding from all the commotion and lack of sleep these days.

Ryo picked up the flowers and looked at her worryingly:

"I noticed yesterday you were looking a little pale, Ellie. Don't you think you should get some rest or see a doctor?"

"I'm perfectly fine." She said calmly "I just have to catch up with some "z" s. I'm perfectly healthy."

"No, you're not." Ryo insisted and she looked at him. He seemed pretty serious and severe. _"Am I looking that bad?"_ she asked herself as he knelt down next to her and went on:

"I've seen you, Ellie. You're the first to come and probably the last to leave. You pay attention to every little detail and work hard day and night. But that makes you sick? If you truly love your daughter you should go easier on yourself and pay her more attention."

"You have absolutely no idea what you're saying." Ellie's eyes went darker "Aiko's been spending more time with the people here than her friends. Believe it or not, we're connected by something very special."

"I'm glad." Ryo said. "I'm glad you care so much about her, Ellie. Most women who raise their children on their own can be quite cold. Seeing you talk with so much admiration and love for your daughter…you surely deserve her."

"Aiko is a wonderful child. Sometimes I just thank Heaven for allowing me to…" Ellie stopped and frowned. Then she got up and took the basket from Ryo's hands.

"My…" she said "Look at the time. I better get going. Thank you." She added in a warmer voice.

But Ellie was feeling sick. That's why she took the rest of the day off, asked Sharona to take Aiko to the park and went to see a doctor. Well, a certain doctor.

* * *

Faust VIII sat down and smiled at his patient. Ellie wasn't sure why she went to him for the first place, but she had a feeling that something was wrong. However, after a furrow examination all he could say was that there wasn't anything wrong.

"Ellie, are you sure that you didn't overwork yourself?" Faust asked politely. Ellie pouted.

"I've endured many nights and days without any sleep at all. It was when I was pregnant." She explained as Faust cocked his eyebrow "Sometimes I couldn't sleep for weeks, once a whole month."

"This is rather disturbing." Faust said "Didn't you do any reading on the question? During such a period a mother shouldn't overwhelm her organism."

"I got my rest….I just couldn't fall asleep for many nights in a row." Ellie frowned "Come to think about it that was my only indisposition during that time. And now….well, things are weird. My appetite goes crazy for no reason, I'm skipping my period for months and I have mood swings more often than any time during my pregnancy."

Upon hearing that Faust got up and took an x-ray photo and held it to the light. His face became pensive.

"You know, Ellie-san, if I didn't know better, I'd suspect some anomaly or cancer…but your examinations show that you're absolutely healthy. Does your daughter have any problems?"

"No, thank God, she's completely healthy."

"But she's a shaman? She sees spirits, she has furioku….and all…"

"Well, she hasn't tried any spirit control yet. We weren't sure if she should expand her powers..."

"That doesn't matter." Faust waved his hand "Is she very strong? She might have attracted a spirit accidentally."

"Well….I'm not sure."

"It's possible, having in mind that she's so young, that she doesn't realize what she's doing. Though if she's not strong she shouldn't be able to do such a thing."

"_Sure, if she inherited my Shaman talent."_ Ellie thought _"But Ryo went through a hell lot of a training. He faced the wrath of the river, he resisted the temptations of Hao's book….he's got monstrous spirit energy….what if…" _

She sighed. She thanked Faust and apologized for taking so much of his time, then went home.

* * *

Aiko and Sharona were still out. Ellie used the opportunity to take a bath. She turned on the hot water and put her yukata on. As the tub was filling steam fogged the mirror. Ellie watched it darken and her eyes filled with tears as she remembered those times back then…

_Flashback:_

_He held her close, her back pressed against his chest, his chin resting on her shoulder. They stood on a hill, watching the sun set over the desert horizon. The world was a blast of colors, the warm desert ones mixing with the cold ones from the sky. A few small stars flickered on that spectacular canvas. It was freezing cold, but neither of them felt bothered. She felt so right in his arms, as if she belonged there. For the first time she really knew somebody needed her, that somebody loved her…_

_For who she was, without that fear humans had for her. Yes, fear-what other reason would her classmates have to avoid her? Why would that brute, her step father, beat her unconscious if it wasn't for fear? Why would he…_

_The memory made her freeze, but Ryo got her back to the reality. The reality where there were people who cared about her, where he loved her, where there was sun and warmth, a place for her…_

Ellie sobbed painfully, the memory becoming bitter and sad with the recent events. She tried to wipe the mirror, so she could see her face, but tears blinded her. There was a salty, sour taste in her mouth, her body felt weak and helpless. "I am strong, I am strong." She wanted to tell herself that everything was alright, that she would manage it, but a cold and heartless voice cut her out. **"No! You're weak, you're a coward and you will never be what you want to be so much. The world would be better off without a wretch like you."**

Ellie gasped-the air wasn't sufficient. Her fingers were white for the effort to hold herself onto the sink, but all was worthless. Looking at her smudged image one last time her eyes turned white and she collapsed on the floor.

* * *

A/N-If anyone reads Jane Austen, he knows what motive I used. I don't own "Persuasion". 


	7. Bounding

**Hi everyone, another chapter for all of you who want to read it. Thanks again for the reviews, they're very nice. **

**About the motives from "persuasion", by Jane Austen, I was reffering about that time when Ellie fell on the stairs. In the text, there is the time when the heroine was playing with her obnoctious nephews and her former fiance helps her out. In the same way Ryo helped Ellie when she was about to fall. "He was upset with her, but he could not let her suffer..." or somthing like that. I don't have the text nearby to tell you for sure. Hope that was helpful.

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Bounding 

Ryo was walking down the hall the next morning, feeling a little dizzy and light-headed. Again with that dream-it was driving him crazy, along with all those questions. Was Aiko his daughter? If she was, why didn't Ellie tell him? Honestly, he was beginning to believe that she was his child more and more-if she wasn't why would the Lillies put so much effort into hiding it?

His thoughts were interrupted when he saw Millie walking down trough the hall with Aiko in her arms. Seeing him, she walked straight to him.

"Hello, Millie-chan, Aiko-chan." Ryo smiled

"Hello, Ryo-san." Millie smiled calmly. "How are you doing? Is Yoh-sama OK?"

"Yeah, only Ana-dono is a little too severe with him."

"Oh, I see." Millie said "Ai-chan, will you go in the dance room for a sec, I need to tell Ryo-san something."

"Ok." Aiko obeyed and left them alone. Ryo looked curiously at Millie, who seemed a little uneasy.

"Anou….Ryo-san, there's a favor I need to ask you." Millie said, crossing her fingers hesitatingly "Ellie onee-chan's sick and…could you look after Aiko for the day?"

"Sick? Is it serious?" Ryo busted out "Does she need something?"

"No…I don't think it's serious, but I may be needed and we don't want Ai-chan to catch something."

"I understand you…but why me?"

"Well…" Millie rolled her eyes, blushing "I just thought that since you took so much interest…you might be happy to help."

"No, I meant that you girls didn't seem very…Wait. Do the others know about this?"

"No…I'm doing this on my own head." Ryo was stunned. Millie wouldn't do something like that…and why? Seeing his expression Millie looked him in the eyes and said firmly "Listen, you really suspect that Aiko is your daughter, but trust me, there's no need for you to think like that. So I thought that if you spent some time with her you might understand it too. So…will you please look after her?"

"Yes, of course." Ryo smiled "When should I bring her back?"

"Oh, at…5?"

"OK, sure."

* * *

Ryo found Aiko practicing a position in front of the mirror, very carefully. She barely noticed him, lost in concentration.

"You sure like ballet, huh, Aiko-chan." Ryo smiled.

"Yes, but I need to practice. My mommy doesn't allow me to do some more elaborated training, but I practice as much as possible." She smiled at him "No perfection is achieved without practice, or so my auntie Millie says."

"Indeed." Ryo laughed out, making a personal note that if he ever got the chance he'd try to set Millie and Lyserg up for a date. "Look, your auntie asked me to look after you for the day. Do you want me to?"

"Sure!" Aiko lit up "I'd love to."

"Ok, then. Let's go then. The day's too beautiful for us to waste it here."

* * *

Ryo crossed the streets with Aiko on his shoulders. The little girl was standing still like a statue so she might not disturb him or fall, but it wasn't necessary. Ryo was carrying her with so much gentility and care as if he did with a treasure. He took her to see the center, then they ate soba and miso soup, and afterwards went to the park.

"Aiko-chan, do you want ice-cream?" Ryo asked her in English.

"Iia." Aiko replied stubbornly in Japanese. She didn't want to make people uneasy by speaking in English.

"You don't like it?"

"It's rather cold, don't you think? Besides, you already bought me lunch, I don't want to burden you."

"Again with burdening." Ryo pouted, letting her walk, since there weren't any crowds in the park. "Fine then, I'm getting one for myself and I'll share it with you."

Despite her protests Ryo got one, even in her favorite flavor, and she ended up eating it almost by herself. Ryo laughed as he got himself another one.

"Ne, that was pretty sly." She accused him. Ryo gave her a pat on the head and smiled:

"Now, now, Aiko-chan, you shouldn't be so serious. I'm just being nice to you. I'm not a stranger after all."

"I know." Aiko said, waving her feet off the bench where they were sitting, then looked up to him "Ne, did you have a relationship with any of my aunties or mommie?"

Ryo almost chocked.

"I mean…you call auntie Millie using a homophorric that's supposed to be used to little kids. Did you guys fight a lot together in that tournament thing?"

"Not exactly…" Ryo laughed "At first we weren't the best of friends…"

"I know…they talked about how they tried ambushing you once." Ryo's eyebrow cocked. Aiko shrugged "They're not very proud with that. Mommy looks very ashamed when the word comes to this. She says they shouldn't have ever done something so despicable. And still Yoh-sama saved them."

"They're not bad at heart." Ryo nodded "They're the type of people who always hold a surprise in store. Once, when we least expected, they helped us a lot-risked their lives to save us." The memory of that church always made him think what would it have been if they hadn't stepped in front of the X-laws' guns. "After Yoh-dono saved them, they became one of our greatest supporters. And yeah, I was pretty fond of Millie-chan back then. It was….a little weird, I suppose, but…"

"It's a little weird. My mommy talks with great esteem of you, but she avoids you here? Is there something between you two?"

"Heh-heh…" Ryo tried avoiding the theme. Indeed he didn't really feel comfortable about discussing things like relationship between men and women with a child. "Your mother and I…well, there were things we prefer to…keep to ourselves."

"Oh." Was all Aiko said "I thought it was because of my daddy." Ryo looked at her as she went on "I thought that she fell in love with him while you were courting her and that's why she feels so uneasy about you."

"Aiko-chan…does your mother talk about your father?"

"Not much, but she says that they loved each other a lot and that there was a really important reason for him to be separated from us. And I'm sure that they loved each other because…my name means child of love in Japanese. My mommy explained it to me once. I…I don't really know him, but I'm sure he was a very gentle person. Maybe just like you, but with more fashion sense."

Ryo was looking at Aiko, dumbfound. Usually he would look down at such words, but she was dead serious. He honestly didn't expect something so…wise out of such a small person. And it was true…honestly true.

"Ryo-san…" Aiko looked at him pleadingly "Whatever happened between you and my mommy, will you please forgive her? I know she must've made you feel sad for losing to someone else, but I'm sure she looks up to you with great esteem and treasures your friendship. I really think she wants to re-establish it, but feels too ashamed to explain."

Ryo laughed and unintentionally stroked her hair with a smile. She wasn't completely right, but there was truth in her words.

"Don't you worry, Aiko-chan." He said "I'm sure your mommy and I can talk this out. So…how about another ice-cream?"

* * *

Aiko looked at the leaves curiously.

"Ne…is spirit control hard? I've heard that the simplest of things is summoning the spirit of a dead leaf?"

"Haven't you tried it?" asked Ryo "It's really simple. See?" He knelt down and showed her. Aiko sat next to him and for a half an hour practiced. Then he took her to the swings. As they played, he overheard a conversation between two old ladies who had come with their grandchildren.

"My, what a handsome young man. I must say his wife must be very lucky."

"Oh, yes. If only MY son in law helped half as much I would be very happy. And such a sweet little girl, she seems so well bred and behaves so respectfully. Indeed, I wish I had such a son in law-he looks with so much care for his daughter."

* * *

Ryo decided to take Aiko directly to the dorm where she stayed with her mother and aunts. He was surprised to find the apartment empty-wasn't Ellie sick.

"This is weird." He mumbled, but didn't allow Aiko to see his worry.

But the little girl had already sensed something wrong. She made her way towards a room and listened carefully. Then she snapped her fingers a few times, mumbling something. A second later, Kamaitachi, her mother's guardian ghost appeared before her.

"Hi." She said "Where's mommy?"

Kamaitachi looked embarrassed and made some signs. Aiko blinked curiously.

"Weird. She says mommy went out in secret and that my aunties went after her. Why would she do that?"

"In secret? Is that even possible in such a small apartment?" Ryo cocked his eyebrow.

"I don't know." Aiko shrugged "Kamaitachi says she went out of the window."

"I see….but Aiko-chan, how did you do that?"

"That? Oh, it's just a simple spell they taught me. I allows me to summon their guardian spirits in case I get lost."

"I see...but why didn't you use that when you got lost that time…"

"Because it's a very weak spell. I usually get lost in a mall, that's why I never tried improving. And I didn't know Tokyo, I didn't know whether I could do it."

"There must have been something horrible that happened." Ryo mumbled under his breath.

"Yeah." A voice came behind him. They turned and saw Sharona in the doorway. "Ryo, can I have a word with you?"

* * *

A/N-That was a little hurried, but no biggie. I hope you still liked it. 


	8. The role of friends

**Phew, that took some time. Sorry for keeping you guys wait, I just wanted to give you time to swallow the info from the previous chapter. I'd like to warn you that the plot's goingt slow down-I just thought why not include some more people in this since I'm at it. Lilly 5 fics aren't very popular, maybe this will be the last one I'd write for now. Who knows, maybe I'll get inspired.**

**Let me just say that in My timetable, after the first tournament, there was a pause of one year, and then in the second tournament Yoh's group dropped out. Just wanted to make it clear...for some incoming chapters.

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The role of friends 

Sharona sighed-this was turning out harder than expected. Millie had come back and she was with Aiko in the other room. The child's voice was heard, she was probably telling her aunt about the wonderful day she was having. If it wasn't for the seriousness of this situation, Millie would've been boasting with pride, that her brilliant plan had succeeded. Yes, they did tell her to find a babysitter for Aiko, but Sharona nearly had a heart attack when she heard who that was.

Millie called it "justified". Sharona called it rebellion. Millie knew very well how her sister felt about Aiko and Ryo and still she did it! Yeah, everyone insisted on Ryo knowing the truth but….not like that. It was a miracle there wasn't a big scandal rolling here. He was more perceptive than he appeared and right now there was a big chance of him knowing the truth.

Sharona always feared she might have to talk to him. Maybe in different circumstances, maybe in a different situation. Maybe to blame him, but in reality it wasn't his fault. Ellie was determined he wouldn't have left her and their daughter, but it was just….why couldn't he hold on her better? Why was she so sure he wouldn't have been safe? Sheesh!

However, now Ellie was missing, and she needed to explain him totally different stuff than she had expected. They sat in the living room; the lemonade in their cups remained untouched, and heavy silence befell on them. Sharona looked at him, but didn't see him; she was upset indeed, because as the leader it was her job to fix things whenever somebody screws up.

"I suppose this is very perplexing…." She started, removing a strand of blond hair from her face. "After all, we acted pretty inconsistently."

"It's no novelty for you." Ryo laughed "I remember how you guy were friends in one moment and in the next-mortal enemies."

"Please pay attention." Sharona said with the tone of an agitated school teacher "I'm trying to say something very important and I can't follow if you plunge into memories every two seconds. Yes, we act illogically and I'm sorry for confusing you like that. We…didn't anticipate that Aiko would spend the day with you. First, I'd like to apologize for the inconvenience."

They were silent, so Sharona could regain her breath.

"I suppose you have many questions…you did ask a lot, but we wouldn't tell you. I must say it was all very hard, having in mind how persistent you are, so I'd like to make this clear. I know…we all know that you and Ellie had….a relationship in the past, and I know that she stubbornly not tells you the truth, but indeed…"

"Sharona…" Ryo stopped her "What happened back there was very confusing. It is like that still. I was angry that Ellie wouldn't tell me who Aiko's father was, but now I see things in another light." The French woman raised an eyebrow. "Aiko told me that her parents had a very….passionate romance together. I don't know who that man is but if he was so special that Ellie wants to keep the memory of him unchanged…I won't push it. Maybe I was selfish to interfere in something that is not my own business. Whatever the case, if she wants to tell me she'll do it in her own time. I won't bring up the subject unless she wants to and I won't bother you anymore."

"You seemed…pretty determined at some time." Sharona said hesitatingly.

"I was….I still am…but I have to respect her choice."

"Even if…it is something that concerns you….directly?" Sharona seemed puzzled.

"It's her wish…now how about you tell me what is going on here."

So it was down to that. While Sharona was talking to Ryo the two remaining members of the group were running into something very….different.

* * *

The news that the Lilly 5 were in town didn't reach the greater part of Yoh's friends because…well, because Ryo, busy with his investigation, had "forgotten" to tell them. So it was, more or less, a big surprise for Horo Horo and Ren Tao to see Lilly and Sally, who were looking for Ellie all over Tokyo.

Frankly, they wouldn't have met unless there was a little event. They were walking through the park when Sally came up with the idea to check it out through the trees.

"Do you actually suggest we climb a tree to see around?" Lilly asked with her sarcastic voice. "There are so many trees out here, how could you find her like that?"

"We can check the streets." Sally shrugged.

"But even if you see her, by the time you get down she'd be gone. And even now we're wasting time…Oh, you're not even listening, SALLY!"

What Sally wants Sally does, so she started climbing the tree before Lilly had even finished. The brain girl waited under the tree for a while, then cursed herself for the impatience and started climbing the tree to see what was she doing.

"Sally?" Lilly stood next to her friend on a high branch, ignoring the creepy crack it made "What are you still doing here?"

"Looking."

"Did you see anything?"

"Oh, yeah. Look!" Sally pointed and Lilly formed her glasses into binoculars with the help of her guardian ghost. She saw…."All you can eat barbecue". No really, it was a restaurant sign?

"Sally, what does that have to do with looking for Ellie? Are you suggesting she went there to get a snack?"

"No, but it's a good idea for us to try. I bet I can eat more than you."

"Wha…Are you telling me you didn't even look for Ellie?" Lilly was outraged.

"No, I looked for her and then for some restaurant. What, don't tell me you're not hungry? We've been on this since morning."

"Sally, you are really, really, even more stupid then Ellie and Millie together!"

"Um, Lilly…"

"No! I mean it! I never thought I'd say something like that and I know it's unbelievable, but there you have it! I'm outraged! I'm…WAAAAAAAA!"

The last words were silenced because the branch she stood on gave out and broke.

And since this is a fic. of encounters Horo Horo, Pirika and Ren had just met in the park, doing chores for Anna. Driven by the sounds of people screaming, they had come closer, wondering how could a tree make such a commotion. And so Lilly landed right on top of poor Horo.

Lilly, though dizzy, understood the situation she was in and was…well, speechless with embarrassment. She didn't know what was coming and she felt like the biggest loser in the world…oh yeah, and she cursed Sally. Stupid Sally, making her climb on trees and forgetting her duties, stupid tree that breaks his branches under her feet instead of hers, and stupid, stupid boys that didn't know where to stand.

Thankfully, Horo found the funny side of it and as soon as he could speak said:

"Whoa, is it me or beautiful women fall from the sky? Or are you an angel?"

"A….Angel?" Lilly didn't remember anyone calling her like that. The most desperate guy who tried to woe her didn't go further than "the prettiest thing living". "Are you concussed?"

"Huh? Lilly?" Horo said while she was getting off him. Now that he realized who she was he couldn't help but gape. Her hair was down, her glasses didn't look so dorky and she wore clothes more suitable for her figure. Usually he wouldn't even notice her but….well, given the situation she was hard to miss.

"Wow, no this is a surprise…we haven't seen in…what, 5 years?" Lilly said awkwardly as Sally jumped off the tree. She couldn't help but notice a sly little smirk in the corner of her mouth, something that meant that there was more to it than it seemed.

"5 years and a half at least." Horo corrected her and Pirika looked at him suspiciously-her brother didn't usually remember that well.

"Say, what are you doing here…aside from climbing on trees."

"Looking for Ellie." Sally explained "But we're pretty sure she went to do something at the office and forgot to tell us. But you know Sharona, she always makes a big fuss about small stuff."

Lilly looked at her friend in silent astonishment. How could she say something like that? The situation WAS serious and it required immediate action. However, as Lilly discovered with utter horror, she didn't feel so pressed now. She hadn't eaten-why not ask them to go have some lunch together? And talk about past times-it had been ages since they last saw each-other.

At that point Lilly's horror was absolute. How could she even think about that?! She wasn't so irresponsible to leave a friend in distress…but before she could react Sally had already talked Ren and Pirika to go grab a bite to eat. Lilly and Horo followed automatically, the latter glaring at the girl, who seemed like she had been hit on the head.

* * *

They stopped in front of a restaurant and Ren, Pirika and Horo went in to check if there were free seats. Lilly pulled Sally's sleeve.

"What the hell was that about?" she hissed "And don't play dumb, Sal, I know when you're up to something."

"And since when did being up to something become illegal?" Sally mortified her with one of her oh, so logical answers.

"It's not illegal but it's wrong! Ellie's still missing, we shouldn't be slacking out!"

"What keeps you? Go if it's so wrong." Sally smirked when Lilly tried making some excuse to stay "Look, if I don't get some food in my stomach I won't be able to go on. YOU look like fainting yourself. We wouldn't be of any use."

Lilly looked down, her fists clenching. Now that was a theme they never discussed-being helpless. Never being able to do anything, never being able to help. In the tournament, Yoh saved their asses even though they tried being on their own. During the final battle all they could do was look on. And when Ellie got pregnant…even though she was happy the way she was, with the choice she make, they still felt bad.

"Maybe it's just excuses." Sally voiced their thoughts "If Ellie let us we would do something. But then again she would have told him herself, she wouldn't want him to learn from anyone but herself. You realize what this is, don't you?"

Lilly looked at her friend.

"This is not our business, Lill." Sally titled her head backwards to look at the sky "It's between Ellie and Ryo-it has always been and it will be like that until she decides to stop being a chicken and tell him everything face to face. No matter what we do or want to do it's no use, so let's leave those two to deal with their own problems and get some lunch. How about it?"

Lilly sighed in defeat. Sally's logic was killing her sometimes.

* * *

A/N-I'd love to see reviews here. So...please leave some, or else the next chapter won't come out for another yaer. 


	9. Back to you

**Ok, if anybody's wondering, I'm making reference to one of my previous fics in this chapter, you'll know which. It took some time, but I hope it came out good.

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Back to you 

"So are you going to tell me what's going on here?" Ryo asked.

"Geez, I thought you'd never ask." Sharona frowned and let down her cup "Ellie's been possessed."

Ryo looked at her bluntly.

"Possessed as in…"

"As in being possessed by a dead person." Sharona rolled her eyes "Come on, we're both shaman, and you have experienced something like that on your own back too. Yes, she's been recently possessed and we discovered it yesterday."

"Whoa…slow down. Tell me everything."

Sharona sighed-there was no way she could get out of it this easily. She sat more comfortably and rubbed her temples. As times like this she wished there was a drink nearby, but she passes the period when she drowned her pain in alcohol. The first tournament over, the year before the second…they were spend in an endless fight. And now she was just wishing for some relief.

Well, nothing like the direct approach.

"Yesterday Lilly came back early and heard the water running. The bathroom door was locked, and there was water running from below. Sally came back soon afterwards and they broke the lock-Ellie had fainted inside. Thankfully they were able to clean up and straighten Ellie a little bit before Aiko could see her. I know that hiding the real situation is not the answer, but I don't think it would be good for the child to see her mother in such a state. So today we asked Millie to find somebody to look after her while we try to solve the problem with the ghost."

"Didn't you try to exorcise it out? That usually helps."

"Yeah, have you tried that on your own head? Whatever you might think, ghosts choose the people they possess. It's usually somebody who had the same life as them. Ellie was possessed by the spirit of a woman that died soon after losing her unborn baby." Sharona's cold, grey eyes suddenly became very sad "Their memories mixed, their emotions tangled and at a certain point Ellie didn't even realize where or who she was. You understand that separating them with force might have had dire consequences-Ellie might have even gone mad. That's why we tried to reason with the ghost. It got harder and harder. And when we left her side for a while, she was gone."

"So this was the only logical choice." Ryo thought. Indeed, when it happened to him the options weren't any brighter. So now…what? What can I do?"

"I…don't know. But….I have the feeling that your chance of succeeding is better than ours."

Ryo got up and walked out of the room. What did they expect of him? How could he know where he went? And why were they so sure he could help?

At that moment he saw Millie and Aiko sitting on a couch. Aiko laid her head on her aunt's knee and they were both silent. Their eyes were filled with unspoken plea. They were so sure…but why?

"Ne, Ryo-san, can we go out like today again?" Aiko asked, rising slightly. Ryo smiled warmly and patted her head. She looked so much like her mother-so fragile, so delicate, and still there was a hint of steel hidden in that small body. What would she do if Ellie didn't get better? What would HE do if she didn't get better?

Ryo felt like his heart had stopped beating. Live without Ellie? Without Aiko? The thought was terrifying. Now...through all those years they spend apart he went on because he believed she lived somewhere a life she was happy with. He didn't hope that she would remember him or think of their relationship like he did. But now…imagining the world without her, and without Aiko….he felt that his universe would crumble.

Hell, who cares who's Aiko's father?! Who cares that Ellie doesn't love him? If anyone was missing, he felt the world would end.

"Yes, of course. And next time your mommy's coming with us." Ryo forced a smile; then whispered something to Millie, who ran off to fetch something, and nodded at Sharona's direction. Then he walked out on the streets.

* * *

Lilly wouldn't admit it openly, but she was having a blast. She never thought the times spend with Ren and Horo Horo would be so fun. Pirika insisted that they went shopping and the boys actually didn't complain. When they ended up in the shopping center they split up-Ren, Sally and Pirika went to see some sports store, and Lilly and Horo stopped in front of a pet shop to wait for them.

Lilly focused her attention on the pups and cats, trying to come up with an idea of a conversation. Horo was also looking at the animals…well, he was pretending actually. He seemed interested, but you'd get it when you see him looking at the same piece of shavings. Was he thinking about something? Was he bothered? Maybe he didn't like her company. Lilly was used to it all-rejection, ignorance…it wouldn't hurt if another boy dumped her. The problem was she wasn't even with this boy. And still the thought that he wasn't happy with this situation was paining her. She sighed.

"It's so weird." Horo thought, while trying not to stare too much. She had grown, definitely. Beauty had come with the years, and had brought along elegance and grace. He'd never think her…attractive six or seven years back. The first thought when he saw her was…."Uuugh…". The second thing was that she was a very accomplished actress, since she was able to fool them until the last moment. NOW he was wondering how he could miss the way her eyes sparkled when she turned to the sun, the way her hair fell around her shoulders, even the glasses didn't seem so dorky.

"Oh, look!" Lilly said suddenly, when she saw Sally, Ren and Pirika coming out of the shop. Pirika had obviously purchased another torture device for Horo, even if he didn't need it. The Ainu girl was overflowing with pride, impatient to see the piece of equipment she bought in use.

"Know what, Lilly…" Horo said "Let's go for a walk."

With this he grabbed her hand and dragged her away, before his sister saw them.

* * *

Ryo paused in front of a Shinto temple. Behind it, there was a graveyard…and then he heard a sob, so quiet only he would sense it. He listened a little, and then he turned in its direction.

Ellie was kneeling next to a tombstone, cleaning some weeds off it. From where he stood Ryo could see her back and her hair, which was down for once. And though it was sunny, her shoulders trembled in the cold wind…maybe because she only wore a thin shirt and knee long jeans.

Ryo stopped a few steps from her, looking at her back. Ellie finished cleaning the tombstone and then poured some water over it. Finally she drew her hand over the hieroglyphs, following the curves and marks on the cool rock.

Suddenly she spoke:

"Just a little longer, and she'll be gone." Her voice was wary, but indeed it was Ellie that spoke, not some ghost.

"Your friends are worried." Ryo said. "As far as I understand you ran away."

Ellie turned to look at him unbelievingly. Maybe she didn't expect him to be there. But after a while her expression changed-she didn't tense up as she did in his presence, but her face actually softened. God, what warm eyes she had! Suddenly he remembered how much he loved them.

"Will you stay with me for a while?" she asked.

Ryo stood behind her as she fixed the stone again. After a while her muscles calmed down and her eyes went to him and then to the sky. The dusk colored the sky in warm, golden tones. A small, melancholic smile emerged on her face.

"All she wanted was somebody to talk to." Ellie finally said "A whole year and nobody came to visit her. So much pain and suffering and no one to share it with…I bet you think I'm a horrible person…running away like that…making everyone worry so much."

"You know best." Ryo said, sitting next to her "But you should've let them help you."

"The ghost should leave on his own will. If not, there would have been dire consequences and you know it. All she needed was somebody to listen to her."

"You can't handle everything on your own." Ryo started feeling angry, but she just looked at him and titled her head.

"Do you think I'm a bad person?" she asked.

"I don't know anymore. One day you'll get yourself killed over your stubbornness." Ryo got up and looked at the sky "There are clouds rolling by-we better head back."

"Not yet…You go, I'll catch up with you." Ellie said. Ryo sighed and crossed his arms in front of his chest, waiting for her to get up. Meanwhile, thunder pealed in the distance.

* * *

Ren and Sally saw Pirika home before they went back outside. At first they thought Horo and Lilly got lost in the mall, so they decided to look for them some more…but after they saw nothing of them, they decided to go for a spar in a nearby training hall.

Swing, step, punch, block, counterattack…fighting was always fun for those two. They fought until they couldn't keep their feet and collapsed on the tatami. Sally laughed as she was gasping for air and removed a red lock of hair from her face.

"Do you think everybody's going to be all right?" she asked.

"Horo's going to be fine for sure." Ren snorted "With Lilly around him I don't expect them to get into trouble."

"I guess….thanks for going along with this." Sally's expression softened-she seemed almost different now. "I know it's hard without knowing what's really going on, but I really…"

Ren silenced her by placing his fingers on her lips.

"It's OK….keeping your word…not betraying your friends…I understand it. It's more important than me. I wouldn't want it any other way."

"Thanks."

"Hey, I love you for that. There's no need to thank me for it. Besides, I got to lose the chores for Anna and spend some time with you instead. If anyone should be thanking it should be me."

"Because I'm saving you from your chores?"

"Because you put up with me for such a long time and you still allow me to keep a secret."

"It's not our fault nobody notices." Sally shrugged

They were absolutely alone. His arm found its way around her shoulder as he pulled her closer.

"It's pretty, isn't it?"

"Absolutely. But it seems like raining." She frowned "This waiting is killing me. A little more and I'll go looking for her."

"You said it yourself-she has to face it alone." Ren kissed the top of her head "It's not your business to interfere."

"I wasn't talking about Ellie." Sally smiled "But by the looks of it we'll be stuck here because that storm out there doesn't seem like it's going to be a short one."

"The better. Wanna go for another round?"

* * *

Ryo pulled out the umbrella when the first heavy drops of rain began to fall. He opened it, but Ellie still wouldn't come up. She sat there, with a pensive expression on her face.

"If you don't get up from there you'll catch a very bad cold, Ellie." Ryo said, his voice betraying his impatience.

"You don't have to wait for me."

"I promised that I'll bring you safe and sound at home. Come on, don't be ridiculous."

No answer came.

"Come on, Ellie. Stop forcing yourself and come with me."

"You hate me, don't you…for running off like that." Ellie said quietly

Ryo paused and looked away.

"It doesn't matter anymore." Ryo shook his head "It's not the time, come on." He attempted to pull her elbow, but she shook him off. "Yes, I was angry." The words just escaped his mouth and once out, he couldn't stop the flow "Yes, I was angry, but you want to know something? I wasn't as angry as scared. I thought something happened to you. I thought you were sick or upset or somewhere all alone. I couldn't understand why you left, but I guess you fell in love with somebody else and couldn't tell me straight in the face. That's why I was angry. Why couldn't you be honest with me?"

She looked him in the eyes, but did not respond. He shook his head, sighed and went on.

"I was going to understand, Ellie. If you fell in love with somebody that special…so special that you couldn't live without him, so special you decided to give birth to his child, I understand. God, he must've been something, because you have the most wonderful daughter in the world! I have nothing to be jealous about, nothing to be angry…aside from the fact that you weren't honest. Why were…are you afraid? Tell me?!"

No answer followed. Another sigh was let out.

"Ellie…damn, how am I to put this? Yes, I wished you stayed. I still wish you stayed. Because right now we wouldn't be going through this crap. What is it that tortures you so?"

"What is it? What wasn't it?" she was looking away, her hair fell in long, wet locks, hiding her eyes. "That woman who possessed me…her name was Hina…her pregnancy had gone well. And still she lost her child…for that time we spent together…I had her memories as mine, felt like her…was her once. When I was pregnant with Aiko, all I did was pray. I prayed that I'd be able to survive until the end. I lived in fear that my baby might end up dead before she's even born because my body was too feeble and weak to carry her into life. Sometimes I didn't sleep entire nights, clutching at my stomach, afraid that if I did the slightest movement, I would end up like all those women who do spontaneous aborts. That my baby would come out in pieces and never, ever understand what is life…what is love…."

Ellie's shoulders were shaking violently as she turned to face him. Tears ran down her cheeks as she cried in dumb anger and despair.

"I do not deserve to be loved, Ryo-kun….I don't deserve any kindness either….but I wanted Aiko to know that there's more than sadness in this world. The thought that she might know love was what made me pull through all those months of despair and fear. I had…I have to go on because of her…You think it wasn't hard for me to leave you? For five years, there hasn't been a night when I don't lay awake and wonder what would happen if things were different. If leaving without saying one single goodbye was OK? Was the right thing to do….yes, I was scared, but not for me….not even for Aiko at the time."

Her face was ghostly pale, there were red cycles under her eyes. She fell forward, just to be caught by his arm. The umbrella was thrown away as he wrapped his arms around her. Ellie was delirious, her temperature was rising fast. Ryo took off his coat and put it on her shoulders, then picked her up (she was as light as a feather), and with one light bow to the grave, ran to the dorm, holding Ellie as if his life depended on it.

* * *

A/N-Well, another chapter, I hope you guys don't hate it that the plot develops so slowly. I don't plan this to be a long one. 


	10. First kiss in a very long time

**Oh, man, I should have rated this thing M a long time ago. sighs, I guess my alter ego gets the best of me. Anyway, I feel I should put this disclamer in order to warn you-THE FOLLOWING CHAPTER CONTAINS LOTS OF VIOLENCE, DRAMA, ANGST AND OTHER GLOOMY STUFF LIKE THAT. IF YOU'RE NOT LOOKING FOR A WAY TO SPOIL YOUR MOOD, DO NOT READ THIS.  IT MIGHT MAKE YOU FEEL SAD, FRUSTRATED AND ABOVE ALL LOSE HOPE THAT I MAY BE SANE. **

**No, seriously, I'm not joking, the following chapter shows one of my worst sides-the tendancy for terrible experiences. I'll change it's raiting, because I really don't want some poor reader get influenced by my negative view of this world.**

**I AM NOT OVER-REACTING!

* * *

**

First kiss in a very long time 

_**Flashback:**_

"_How could you have possibly been walking around with that shirt on!" Ellie scolded him "Look, the sleeve's been torn apart."_

"_Ah, yes…You wanan know something? I put this one especially for you."_

"_Wha….ah, I get it. It's the one I tore when we first fought."_

"_Aha, I knew you'd remember. I was supposed to stitch it back but I thought it gave the whole thing a nice air."_

"_That's what somebody would expect hearing from you, but after a few washes it would be impossible to wear. Take it off, I'll sew it back on."  
_

"_Are you sure you can handle it?"  
_

"_Handle it? Listen, Ryo-kun, I'm very skilled though I may not be showing it."_

"_Yeah….hey, you are pretty good. How did you learn to make stitches like that?"_

"_Well, I don't want to boast, but Millie's dolls are all my doing."_

"_Dolls? You mean you don't know they make them out of plastic?"_

"_I sew her dolls out of cotton and old clothes. What, it's a nice hobby."_

_Ryo was looking at her astonished. She looked him back and then she accidentally poked her finger on the needle._

"_Ah….Ryo!" He took her hand and gave the wounded finger a kiss. Then he said._

"_Is it just a hobby? Or you do it because you can't afford it?"_

_She turned away, blushing._

"_It's not such a bad gift, and Millie prefers them…It's a fine present when given from the heart."

* * *

_

Ellie opened her eyes slowly. Her head was pulsing, she felt her moth dry and her skin-feverish. Was this a dream? Was that a dream? Tears rolled down her cheek at the thought that this whole life was a dream. Maybe the escape was just a lucky delusion. Maybe Ryo, Yoh, her friends, Aiko, were all a mirage. Maybe she would wake up, closed with the rats in the broom closet, beaten half to death, and her mother and father were probably getting themselves drugged. But where was Millie? Before she realized it, Ellie began repeating her sister's name fervently, like a mantra…

"Millie's in the other room, sleeping. You know, you should do that too."

Ellie's eyes flew open and she saw Ryo, sitting in a chair next to her bed. He was holding her hand and there was a weird look in his eyes. And then it came back to her…the possession, the graveyard, the rain….the talk! Oh, what did she tell him?

Did it matter anymore? No, it didn't. She had to be honest and suffer the consequences. She brought it down on her, after all.

Ryo was surprised when she started getting up from her bed, determined to stand up.

"Wait a sec, you have to rest! You might have caught a cold out there in that rain…"

"I don't care….I must…talk to you."

"But we are talking…"

"Not like that." Ellie said before she knelt on the floor a few paces away from him and touched the floor with her forehead. Then she froze in the position for so long he thought she fainted.

"I'm sorry." She said

Ryo was so stunned he could only say what he'd usually say, though he was pretty sure she knew what she was talking about.

"What for?"

"Please….I need to say that I'm sorry." Ellie said, her head still down "I apologize for causing you trouble…and for misusing your attention. I should've told you the truth from the beginning and I've gotten you into too much trouble. Gomen nasai."

"Ellie…" Ryo got up from the chair "What's done is done. You have your reasons not to tell me who Aiko's dad is. I understand you loved him very much…" Ellie's eyes rose to see him "…And I understand you feel uneasy about all that back in Patch village…but if you really loved this guy so much, then I don't really mind it. I'm just upset that you didn't have the courage to talk to me straight in the eye."

"But…" Ellie looked away "It's not like it seems."

"Maybe….frankly I'm more concerned about Aiko now. Why isn't her father with her? I mean…wouldn't she need one. If he's not dead…then why are they apart?"

Ellie turned away. She was sitting on her knees on the ground, one of her hands supporting her. Her eyes got dark.

"It's for his own good." She said. "If he stayed with us…he'd be in danger."

"Of what, over smothering him with love? Two women alone isn't…wait, don't tell me he doesn't know!"

"No…I'm pretty sure he knows."

"Ellie….how can you do such a thing?!"

"I told you, it's for his own good!"

"Why? What kind of danger makes you fear so much of attachment? Surely he could protect you!"

"It's not like you'd understand. It's not just some ordinary fear! It's real, and it's as horrible as it can get!"

"Then tell me! Tell me so I can determine that by myself!"

Ellie took a deep breath and then turned away. What was the point of hiding it anymore? She looked like somebody who needed relief desperately.

"You know…that Millie and I ran away from home right before the tournament." Ellie asked "I hoped that running will get us to a better place, that we would escape that vile place…My stepfather was a drunkard, my mother got addicted to drugs. You can imagine what kind of life we led."

She shivered, reminding herself of the scars and fractures…the screams that echoed in their heads all the time…the endless scolds and accusations….the hours of darkness that felt like lasting an eternity. Words escaped her mouth, words of bitterness and anger, and sadness.

"This is what I fear. I fear that if I don't focus, if I'm not careful, I might bring myself to be like those monsters. Heartless, cruel, violent! I don't want my loved ones to suffer! I wouldn't stand the though of you hating me! I wouldn't stand the thought of Aiko hating me! Can't you feel it? Didn't you see it? When we were together…how couldn't you have felt it. I could go crazy with everything chasing me. You wouldn't understand!"

"You're talking nonsense!"

"No, I mean it!" Ellie's voice became faint, nothing more than a whisper. "You really want to know what happened to me? You can't even begin to imagine how I feel. If you stayed, you'd suffer the same horrors.

"This is silly…"

"You once thought I didn't tell you who Aiko's father was because I didn't knew. Yes, I know very well what you think, I knew very well what you'd think."

"Just be honest Ellie and tell me what's on your mind."

Ellie shook her head, a weird smile forming on her pale lips. She half laughed, half cried.

"How could you know? How could you have known? I understand it. In a way, that was my first time. Ryo, why can't you understand?"

"Understand what?"

"That I gave birth to Aiko because I knew she was special. Because I knew she deserved to live. Because I loved her before she was even there. Children are born out of love, not out of some imprudent one night stand. I got the chance…I got the chance to experience love and I knew she deserved to experience it too, but I couldn't get you to suffer my pain. I can hide it from her, but from you?"

Her tears were unstoppable, as she bent forward and shook her head.

"I'm not a whore, no matter how hard it is to convince you. I don't screw around like that, without care and hesitation. I believe in love, no matter how hard it is. Sex revolts me, it's disgusting and I don't understand why people are so crazy about it."

"Why? You and I…"

"Rape." Ellie turned away "I was raped when I was nine years old! Do you understand that? Do you understand why? With you, it was different! It saved me from the fear! It helped me out of the dark, which was driving me insane! That's why I gave birth to Aiko-because she was a child of love. True love! Do you believe me? Do you understand me now?"

Ryo was looking at her dumbfound. She was avoiding his gaze.

"Ellie…I can't tell you I can imagine how you feel. I don't think I'll ever be able to. But please, don't mistake me with that man you loved. It's me after all."

"HAVE YOU BEEN LISTENING TO A WORD I SAID?!" she screamed "THERE WAS NO OTHER MAN! Ryo….you…you are Aiko's father!"

She fell forward, but her hands supported her in time. She was gasping for air. She said it…she finally said it. Now she just had to wait that he leaves.

But Ryo didn't leave. He was just looking her dumbfounded, surprised, unbelieving. She admitted it, after all. She said it. A part of his mind suggested that she was lying and that she was going mad, but it was rejected immediately. Something in his heart told him better than anything that she told the truth…he always had a feeling he was right all along.

"Well?" she finally managed out. Her voice was wary, tired, dead. "Won't you leave?"

"Why would I do that?" he asked softly. Ellie's eyes shot up. Her face was wet with tears, showing utter horror and astonishment.

"Why? Look at me? I lied to you. I deceived you! I ran away from you like a coward and…and deprived you from any right to know. You…you show such kindness to me, you were eager to know the truth even though it might hurt you…but how can you even stand me now? How can you listen to me?" She hid her face behind her hands and let out quiet, suppressed sobs. "I…I'm so ashamed….I don't deserve such kindness…I can't even look at you in the face!"

Suddenly, he approached her and wrapped his arms around her shaking shoulders. He waited until she calmed down, face buried in her golden locks.

"I love you so much…." He whispered quietly and heard her gasp of surprise, and she moved a little to make sure she heard right. "I love you, Ellie." He laughed out quietly and pulled back to look her in the eyes. They were watering again, but he wiped them and went on.

"I can't feel what you feel. I can't even begin to imagine your feelings. But…I…I love you. Don't say such horrible things about yourself."

"But…you're too good to me! I don't deserve it!" she shook her head, but he stopped her.

"Ellie, you deserve nothing but love and admiration. You thought about everybody but yourself and were ready to take this on you. You gave birth to this wonderful daughter and raised her to become a very worthy young woman. Even if I never knew about it, Aiko would never hate you because of your decision and neither would I. But I love you, Ellie, and I want to stay here, by your side."

Her eyes widened with surprise. He wiped away some locks off her face.

"I want to stay here. With you and Aiko. The two women I love most in the world. So…please, let me stay. Let me be a part of your lives. That is…if you want me to."

Ellie's eyes were as big as plates. Then she answered the only way she was capable right now.

She kissed him. Quickly, fervently. And he didn't let her back away. They kissed with such deep feeling…words were no longer necessary.

* * *

A/N-I know, I know, this was sick. I'm sorry. starts bowing I'll make it up with the fluff in the last chapter. Gomen nasai! 


	11. A new start

**Kyaaa, I can't believe it, this is the last chapter. Sorry if it was too short, I just didn't plan it to be a long one. I know it's very plain, right to the point, no love triangles..I just don't like it that way. I satisfied myself with a few little detours, I hope you liked them, however. **

A new start

Ryo and Ellie calmed down after a while. During that while the sun rose and the Ly's got up. Yoh's gang came around noon to see what's going on. Sharona was cooking lunch and offered them to join her and the rest of the gang. Ryo and Ellie had taken Aiko out.

So they sat down to lunch, when Anna asked the question-what happened.

Sharona wiped some souse off her mouth and crossed her hands in front of her.

"Well, now….I suppose there's no point of hiding it anymore."

* * *

Ellie, Ryo and Aiko sat in the park, sitting on a bench. They had ice-cream, but they barely ate. Aiko looked at her mother and Ryo carefully, wondering why they were so quiet. 

"Um…are you two mad at me?" she asked

"Angry? What for, Ai-chan?" Ellie asked her daughter.

"Well…we went out, but we don't talk. You guys look so grave…and tense. Did something happen."

Ellie hugged Aiko and smiled.

"No, darling, we just need to tell you something important."

"So…you mean you're trying to tell me something but you can't find the words to?" Aiko asked.

"Yeah, something like that."

"Well, what is it? You always say to get it on with. Are you sick?" Aiko's eyes were filled with fear.

"No, Ai-chan, I am not." Ellie said, then hugged her daughter, kissed her head and buried her face in her short blond hair. The two girls stayed like that for a while, then Ellie whispered something in her ear.

Aiko looked at her mother unbelievingly, totally surprised. Then she turned to Ryo, as if she wondered if this was a joke. But he looked absolutely serious.

"Ai-chan…" Ellie stopped. She really feared her daughter's reaction-maybe she was going to reject the truth and hate them for life…

Then Aiko gasped, hugged her mother, then her father and burst into tears. Ryo wrapped his arms around the two girls and the three just stood still. Hugging, crying on their small park bench in that cold November day…but never letting go. Always together, never apart again…it was a silent oath.

"Well, I guess there's still hope." Aiko said when she finally calmed down enough to talk.

"What are you talking about, Ai-chan?" Ryo asked.

"If you're my father, that means that I might just not stay a total shrimp." Ryo pressed her against him and told her that if anyone ever called her a shrimp, he'd beat the crap out of him. Ellie laughed through tears:

"Now how can you tell her things like that? What about setting an example?"

"Oh, yeah. Then I'll make the gang do it." Ryo chipped "Come on, you two."

"What?" Aiko asked

"Let's go. Half the day is gone and frankly I have some serious making up to do." Ryo said "I want to spend as much time as possible with you two."

He reached out to them. Aiko laughed and jumped in his arms. Ellie was still sitting down, unbelieving. But it was happening! It was true.

* * *

Sharona looked at the big clock. It was 11 P.M. and the three were no where in sight. She turned to her friends. Yoh and Anna had left already, but Ren too, but Horo was still there, talking too Lilly. They had started a chess party (the Ainu boasted with his skills but didn't know how to move the rook), which was obviously an excuse for the blue-haired man to stay. Man…Sharona never thought he'd grow up. But he obviously had and he was having a too obvious crush on Lilly. 

"This is seriously making me nervous." Sharona told Sally, who was making coffee in the kitchen.

"Come on, Ryo wouldn't let them out of his sight." Sally said "They'll be fine."

"As usual I admire your carelessness, my dear Sally, but I didn't mean those three. I'm talking about those two." She pointed at Horo and Lilly, whose heads were almost toughing as they discussed something extremely interesting. "I don't have a good feeling about this boy-what if we have to deal with another problem just when we reached the end of the first."

"Aiko's not a problem." Sally stated, and then looked at Lilly and Horo "And now that I know there's and end to it, I wouldn't mind another god-child."

"Sometimes there isn't a happy ending and that boy just smells of wild hormones. What will we do if they…"

"We'll do what we'll do. Frankly, I thing those two are just too clueless about those things."

"I'll keep my eyes peeled, nevertheless." Sharona stated.

That's when the door opened and Ryo, Ellie and Aiko walked it. Ryo was carrying Aiko, who was half asleep, with a baseball hat on her head and a stuffed cat in her arms. The two happy parents tucked their daughter in and came in the living room, holding hands.

"She's an angel when she's sleeping, isn't she?" Ryo said.

"Yeah…I've been discovering that every day for the last five years." Ellie sighed.

"Well…" Sharona said "I take it you two have settled your…differences, haven't you?"

"Yes, we did." Ryo nodded. "There will be some things we'll have to do, but at least we know what we'll do."

"That's good. Well, I guess I better head back." Horo said "Pirika's probably worried sick about me. Lilly….I'll come around to finish that game, ok?"

"Yeah, sure." Lilly mumbled, slightly blushing.

"Are you leaving too?" Sharona asked Ryo, who was heading towards the door.

"Well…you guys have to rest, right?" he seemed puzzled. Sally sighed and closed the door.

"You two seem to have been apart long enough. You better stay with Ellie, because she might have a bad dream and think this isn't happening."

* * *

_**Christmas Eve…**_

_Last Christmas, I gave you my heart,_

_But the very next day, you gave it away,_

_This year, to save me from tears,_

_I'll…._

Bang! The piece was stopped and the room was silent. Chocolove was looking at Sally, who had suddenly taken upon herself HIS duty as DJ.

"If you play that stupid song again, I swear I'll smash this radio to bits." She grunted out.

"Aaah, no fair!" Chocolove turned to his frieds to support "She can't do that!"

"Oh, yes, she can." Ren stated "And if her warning's not enough for you, I can assure you that if you dare play some more cheesy music like that, there will be a very special meat dish for tomorrow."

Chocolove was about to burst into tears, when Pirika and Tamao dragged him to a sofa and begged him to tell them his best jokes, just to cheer him up a little. It was going to be a torture for the rest of the people, but then a quick, loud song swallowed most of the other sounds.

It was their first Christmas together, and they were celebrating not only the holiday, but the finish of the paperwork. Aiko officially had a father and she was very excited. She stood next to Pirika to listen to Chocolove, while Sally played a blues, so that Ellie and Ryo could have their slow dance. Ellie looked especially beautiful that night, with her red and orange dress that made the impression of a big, colorful flower in the snowy winter.

They were celebrating in the Funbari Osen and they were having a blast. Almost everybody was there-Horo made snowmen in the garden, while Lilly watched, and Yoh was getting Ren into a snow ball fight. Anna checked on dinner and Millie was up in one of the rooms, helping Sharona change.

The Ly's were allowed to stay in the Osen on Christmas Eve, since they were going to give out presents in the morning anyways. Some of them were under the tree already, and from time to time Aiko took a glimpse, guessing what they could be.

* * *

At 9 o'clock another visitor came. 

"Sorry for being so late." Lyserg apologized, shaking the snow off. "The flight was delayed and…Hi there!" He noticed Ryo and Ellie dancing in the middle of the living room. At first he couldn't recognize her, and then a big "O" formed on his lips.

"Lyserg!" Ryo went to give him a welcome hug and led him it "It's so great that you managed to come."

"Yeah…" The British shaman smiled shyly. Even if he was 19 years old now, he still got that childish, confused, 'excuse-me' face when he was shown some attention. Ellie smiled at him and greeted him, then looked questioningly at Anna.

"I didn't know he was going to come." She said, while Ryo was briefing Lyserg on the latest events. The boy's eyes were growing as big as plates, going from Ryo's face to Aiko's, then to Ellie's and back to Ryo's. He was absolutely stunned.

"Neither did I.." Anna nodded "But Ryo told me to prepare a room for 'unexpected visitors'. I guess that's what he meant."

In that moment Sharona came to help Anna out in the kitchen, and a few minutes later Millie walked in the living room. She looked great wit her hair down, and her violet dress was fitting her slender form perfectly. She went to her sister and niece, then turned to greet Ryo.

"Beautiful women aren't rare in that family, aren't they." Ryo said, jumping on his feet and wrapping his arm around Ellie's waist. "Ne, Millie-chan, you look great tonight!"

Millie smiled shyly, and then she noticed Lyserg, sitting on the table, gaping at her. They stared at each other, speechless and surprised. Ryo gave his beloved a big smile and nodded towards the garden. They left the kids staring at each other, Pirika and Tamao listening to jokes, and stuff like that. Horo had persuaded Lilly to come out and help him with the snowman. Aiko watched them.

* * *

Ryo led Ellie to a more quiet part of the garden, and they sat on the porch, contemplating the snowy forest. It was so peaceful! Ellie leaned on his sholder and he wrapped his arm around her. 

"I still can't believe it." He said "I can finally call her my daughter….Ai-chan…It's so wonderful. I can't thin of a more….lovely sound. Ai-chan…Ai-chan…you couldn't have made a better choice with her name."

Ellie smiled serenely. She did that very often.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Ryo asked "You seem a little down. Are you tired?"

"No." Ellie sighed "I'm just enjoying the moment. It's so…perfect. You're here, Aiko's here…Millie's here too…everybody's having such a nice time."

"Don't get melancholia now…we still need our energy to go through Anna's meals and open presents tomorrow."

"Yeah. That's right."

"I love you, you know."

"I love you too." They shared a gentle, sensual kiss. It was so amazing…even through all those years it still felt wonderful.

* * *

The next morning they opened their presents. Aiko's, of course, were most of all, and Ryo's gang stopped by to sing a Christmas carol in the yard. They messed up the lyrics and the rhythm, but they were highly appreciated. The guys just adored Aiko, and she thought they were absolutely great. 

Everybody got a little surprise in that day. Lilly found a book she wanted a long time ago, Ren discovered that somebody had slipped a small gift under his pillow during the night, and Anna was shocked to pull an engagement ring out of a huge box. Yoh first got smacked on the head, but then she mumbled a quiet "I do." And they were made to kiss and make up.

That was a Christmas of surprises.

* * *

"What should I give her?" Ryo asked one of the two most important women of his life. Valentine's day was approaching and he was having a hard time choosing. Aiko was sitting in his apartment, sipping soba noodles. Ellie had gone out to take care of some arrangements-the troop had decided to prolong their stay in Japan and some things had to be done. 

"I mean…" Ryo went on "Vacations are no good and chocolates are old."

"Why don't you ask her to marry you?" Aiko asked between bites.

"Ai-chan, this isn't…I mean…it's not as easy as that." He said.

"What's so complicated? All you have to do is kneel and ask her." Aiko's oh-so-logical answer came "Why shouldn't you marry her? You're taking steps of moving in together, you say you love her at least ten times a day, you pronounce her as the woman of your life at least fifty times, you state that you'd give your life for her and I sure know she'd give her life for you."

Ryo blinked, then hugged his girl and gave her a kiss on the head.

"Only ten times a day, huh?" he said "How many times I tell you I love you?"

"A lot."

"It's still not enough." He said.

* * *

Ryo found Ellie in a training room, playing the piano. She was so consumed in her music she didn't notice him approach her and wrap his arms around her shoulders. Her hand's relaxed and she smiled when his breath tickled her cheek. 

"Don't stop, that was beautiful." He mumbled.

"It's hard not to get distracted." Ellie laughed "Is anything the matter?"

"It's Valentine's day." Ryo stated "And I have to spend it with the two women I love most in the world. So Ai-chan and I came to pick you up and take you away to…far away lands."

"It's not even noon yet." Ellie started, before Ryo placed a small box on the piano lid. "What's this?"

"Well, open it, silly." Ryo laughed and watched her gasp. "Do you like it?"

"I…I have no words…" Ellie said "It's beautiful….but you shouldn't have! I don't deserve such attention…"

"Again with that." He said and turned the chair so she could face him. "I told you to stop punishing yourself like that. Besides, I have plenty of reasons to buy you this-it's Valentine's day and if we're going to do it, we have to do it right." And he knelt on the floor, taking her hands in his.

"But I don't understand…" Ellie whispered.

"Duh, he's kneeling and he's giving you a ring! Just say yes!" Millie said from the door, where she and Aiko were watching. Ellie's mouth opened and she laughed:

"Why are you sneaking in on people's private conversations, Millian?"

"I'm not sneaking in on anything. He has to ask me for my permission." Millie stated.

"Hello, Lyserg-kun!" Aiko exclaimed and in seconds Millie was gone to him. "Now that you're clear, will you answer him already?"

Ellie looked at Ryo, wondering if he was joking. No, how could you joke about something like that. Before her, she had the sincerest and enamored man in the world.

"I just…I don't know what to say…" she began.

"Just say yes and make me the happiest man alive." Ryo smiled.

"I…" tears rolled down her cheeks "Of course it's yes. Yes!"

The biggest smile bloomed on her face as he took her in his arms and kissed her passionately. Aiko laughed and went to tell her aunties about it.

* * *

The wedding itself wasn't something big. They didn't want to make it something huge, and they wanted to do it as quickly as possible. So they decided to marry in a small church, and then celebrate in the Funbari Osen. The girls borrowed one of the theatre dresses and fixed it up for Ellie, Ryo got himself a suit, Yoh was best man, Millie was chosen to be best-maid. On the pictures of that nice, warm day in March, you could see a beautiful young woman, dressed like a princess with white flowers in her hair, the happiest man on Earth, holding her tightly, and a lovely child that was being held by both of them.

* * *

"We're off, we're off, quickly!" Sharona screamed, while the others were packing their suitcases in top speed. Ellie and Ryo looked at them from the couch they sat on. It was April, and they had recently celebrated Ai-chan's birthday. The happy couple was just looking over pictures from the big event and the sudden commotion got them surprised. 

"What's going on?" Ellie asked "Is anything the matter?"

"Oh, stay down, it's not about you." Sharona said "It's our special day! We're taking Ai-chan to Izuumo to see some sites and try the hot springs."

"You?"

"Yes, us. It's the week we're allowed to spend with our god-daughter, remember?" Sharona pouted "Ai-chan did say she wanted to meet your master, Ryo, but Yoh won't be there until the end of the week, so we'll have to take our time site-seeing. You can join us at the end of the week, if you insist on presenting her to Mikihisa-sama and Yomei-sama."

"But…all alone…I really don't feel OK with this…" Ryo began, but Lilly cut in.

"Oh, come on. We've been doing this for ages. You can rely on us, we won't let your treasure out of our sight."

"And besides, you two need some time for a honey-moon." Sharona chipped after she was the last one left in the apartment with the couple. "We're giving you a week, before you have to get back to work, so don't waste your time and try to keep the table in one piece. Bye, bye!"

* * *

"Honestly…" Ellie blushed"What does that woman think!" 

"I agree." Ryo said, while pulling a wine bottle out of the refrigerator and pouring them two glasses. "To think that she even considers the table an option."

Ellie looked at him over the edge of her glass, curiously. She had no doubt about what Sharona meant, but even to say it…They didn't consider sex as something that important and it wasn't like they were looking for every opportunity to jump on each other, but….well, they never really discussed it. Maybe it was true-after some time you just lose interest in that.

He pulled her closer and kissed her, before saying:

"Because when we're doing it, we'll do it on a bed." She burst out laughing and before he could start apologizing for forgetting her feelings, she pressed against him and kissed him back. The wine glasses were left on the table as he picked her up and carried her to their room.

* * *

**_Some months later..._**

Aiko woke up in her bed. In her room. In the house on the beach where she lived with her mommy and daddy. It was so magical, that she hoped it would last forever. That nice, warm feeling wasn't just a part of a dream anymore.

Her eyes turned to the wall, where pictures and drawings of her aunties hung, right next to her very own kendo sword and her toe shoes. The room was small, but cozy, like the rest of the house. The sounds were different, and Aiko missed the feeling of her aunties all over the place, but she knew they were moving on with their lives. And they were having a blast.

Right now her parents were still sleeping. Her daddy had probably woken up and was looking at her mommy sleeping-Ai-chan knew he liked to do that.

Ryo was awake indeed. And yes, he was contemplating his beautiful, sleeping wife. Ellie looked so charming, no matter if she was sleeping, awake, tired or energetic. The most beautiful woman in the world, the best person, his paradise-oh, how he dreamt of waking up every day next to her. And their child, sleeping in the other room-their wonderful, lovely daughter. It was heaven.

He couldn't get enough of that feeling-finally having the woman of his life by his side, taking care of their child, loving each other until the end of time. He had Ai-chan's crayon drawings hanging on the wall and showed them with pride to his friends. He held Ellie in his arms and kissed her even though she thought he gave her too much attention. No matter how many times he told those two that he loved them, it would never be enough for him.

Ellie snuggled closed and opened her eyes. Then she smiled.

"I love you."

"That's my line." Ryo laughed "Good morning, my love. Did you sleep well?"

* * *

They walked on the beach. It was a great day-not too hot and not too cold. Lyserg had come for the summer vacation and he was walking with Millie ahead. 

"Daddy, why did Lyserg-kun ask auntie Millie to show him tango if her keeps messing up the steps?" Aiko asked. "He's always making auntie Millie fall over him."

"He does? Well, I'll go and tell him." Ryo said and ran ahead. Ellie looked at him and smiled. Yes, it was perfect happiness. No more ghosts to chase her, no more darkness in their path. She was happy with this, the way it was.

Somewhere ahead, Ryo finally taught Lyserg the correct steps and the 'kids', as Ryo and Ellie called them, finally danced right. Ryo returned to his wife and daughter, grabbed both through the waist and spun them around. They all laughed, and smiled, and kissed. Together forever.

And then they picked seashells until the sun set over the horizon.

* * *

**A/N**-Finis! A friend of mine told me not to write 'The end' in the last line, so I don't. 

I don't know if this was such a good ending, it's mostly Ellie/Ryo centic.Hope the fluff is nottoo much.

**I have some questions for you**: Since I take my reader's opinion very seriously, I wantto know if you liked the pairings I suggested througout the story? What was your favorite moment? And you least favorite? How do you find the story in a whole? Is my style too fluffy? Too grim? Do tell! Onegai shimasu! **Also **I am thinking about writing a Shaman King oneshot-of the couples suggested, which one you'd like to see in a fic the most? I have a few ideas, but tell me-about which copule?

Boy that were a lot of crack couples here, huh? Anyways, thank you again and I am inviting all of you who like the anime Bleach to check out Kristine93's story "One day in the Shinigami academy"

I hope you liked reading this story as much as I enjoyed writing it. I bow to you, my great readers, and leave myself at the mercy of your reviews. So long!


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